


Mischievous Desires

by TheCuriousFeline626



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Chara is a demon, Chara is a devilish little fiend, Chara stalks Frisk, Chara teases Sans and Frisk, Deep messages, Derogatory Language, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Dynamics, Father-Daughter Relationship, Female Frisk, Flowey Is A Dick, Frisk and Sans hate Chara, Hurt/Comfort, Inappropriate Humor, Just really creative shit I came up with why did I do this to myself, Male Chara, Monsters hate humans, Mystery, Original Universe- Mischievous Desires, Orphan Frisk, Other, POV Multiple, Protective Sans, Romantic Fluff, Sans Needs A Hug, Sans Swearing, Sans is a cranky father figure, Secrets, Soul Bond, Soul-Searching, Undertale Monsters on the Surface
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-05-26 02:31:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 67,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14990816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCuriousFeline626/pseuds/TheCuriousFeline626
Summary: Frisk, a typical fourteen year old girl, lives life comfortably in a small village populated by humans. Just beyond her home is a forest that not many are brave enough to venture. This is where a special monster friend of hers lives, a wise creature that's been around for hundreds of years and acts as a sort of father to her.One day, she encounters a strange being and becomes entangled in his web of mischief and unwanted affections... What events transpire between the two of them?





	1. Curiosity

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo everybody, here is the start of a new Undertale fanfic that I put together. I hope you all like it. I don’t have much here yet, so I built up as much backstory as possible as well as pieced together one of the few important relationships. Now, on to what inspired me to come up with this.
> 
> So, I went around on the internet and looked up a bunch of Undertale stuff in order to get that “spark” that I thought I was missing (see my latest Tumblr post for details) and I didn’t have much luck. Sometimes, looking at fan art or reading up on some interesting AU’s get my creative juices flowing. Nothing… So, then I decided to try looking for good stories here on Archive. I found a couple of good ones, I just got too lazy to read them (UGH; haven’t felt too good these last few days…) I bookmarked them, but I still haven’t read them…
> 
>  
> 
> As a last resort, I wound up going on YouTube and searching for some Undertale-related music to try and reignite my adoration for the beloved game (I searched everywhere for good songs since that seems to help). Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything that really caught my attention. I became really frustrated, since I’m getting good statistics on my “Fallen Flower” story. I felt hopeless… That was when I found this interesting person who uploads videos of his amazing singing voice, “Xandu/XanduisBored”.
> 
> A popular speed-paint artist by the name of “Like-sac D” had uploaded a video recording them drawing a neat picture of Chara. I thought, “Alright, let’s check this out. This might help.” The picture was beautiful! The music in the background… It caught my attention. I felt that sudden “urk” within me, that jolt of inspiration right then and there. I looked up the person who sang it, listened to his cover, and thought that this guy was amazing. Xandu, from the few videos I’d seen, does these really cool heavy metal rock covers with just a hint of “screamo” as I call it. His covers are amazing, please go check him out. 
> 
> Anyway, so his cover of Chara’s response to “Stronger Than You” really intrigued me since the way he interpreted the song was different… That’s when THIS came out. I have no clue what this is. I just felt inspired to write it. This particular version of this song, along with the other versions that he posted of it, really seemed to help me “spring back”. His covers are different, unique, and they’re also one of the types of music I really like.
> 
>  
> 
> *sigh* Now that story time is over, we can get to the story that you actually came here to read in the first place. Oh, before I go, I keep forgetting to list this at the beginning of my things:
> 
> DO NOT REPOST MY WORK ANYWHERE. DO NOT CLAIM MY WORK AS YOUR OWN. DO NOT PERFORM ANY TRANSLATIONS WITHOUT MY CONSENT. IF ANY ONE PERSON BREAKS THESE RULES, I SIMPLY WILL DISCONTINUE WRITING THE STORY AND NO ONE WILL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END. EITHER THAT OR I WILL SIMPLY TAKE DOWN MY STORY SINCE OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE. I’M NOT GOING TO WASTE MY TIME TRYING TO GET PEOPLE OF THE INTERNET TO COMPLY. YOU DON’T WANT TO TEST THOSE WATERS, FOR YOU’LL FIND THEM VERY TEPID. 
> 
> Please respect this, guys. I want to present my ideas to you all because this is fun for me. Don’t take that away from me, as well as ruin it for everyone else. I don’t care if you want to write fan-made continuations of any of my stories, or if you want to write out alternate routes (if you choose the latter, please keep the original plot in mind; also, make sure to link to the original work). Feel free to share my work if you want, like leave a link to it or something. Just don’t go reposting it anywhere. My work will always be available and, with permission, you’re welcome to translate. Just keep to the story that was written. Okay? Thanks.
> 
>  
> 
> *NOTE: FRISK IS FEMALE AND CHARA IS MALE. IF THAT’S A DEAL-BREAKER, SORRY BUT I’M NOT CHANGING IT.*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk a typical fourteen year old girl living in a quiet village. She decides to go venturing in the forest to see if her special friend is there...

     This was just a normal day for Frisk. Sitting here, watching the villagers perform their daily tasks… all while she just sat there, hands propping her up from behind. She lightly swung her bare legs back and forth, her small feet grazing the grass before her. She was sitting at the edge of the deck that was part of her house, the steps only a few feet from her swinging legs. The air felt really nice against her skin, cool and soothing. The sun was hidden by the clouds up above, but that was okay. She needed a bit of a break from the heat anyway.

     “Hmm?” She squinted her large blue eyes, her lips pressing together as she spotted something in the distance, hidden within the trees.

     “Frisk?” a woman nearby called.

     “Yes, Miss Condrake?” Frisk turned her head to the left as a nice elderly woman came walking up.

     “I’m sorry to bother you, dear. I was wondering if you could help me with something for a moment.” Miss Condrake asked.

     “Oh, of course!” Frisk said happily. She hopped down from the deck and approached the elderly woman. “What is it?”

     “Due to be frail and weak, I’m unable to move these heavy boxes of China that I just had delivered to my doorstep. Would you mind helping me move them to my closet?”

     “Oh, not at all. I’m always happy to help you.”

     “Thank you, dear. You’re so kind.”

 

     Frisk beamed at the kind elderly woman and followed after her, her bare arms sliding behind her as her small hands clasped together. As they walked, Miss Condrake asked her how she could be wearing something so thin and exposing. Frisk giggled and commented that she rather enjoyed wearing a tank top and shorts in the warmer weather.

     “Ho ho! I see, dear. I guess I’m just too used to seeing you in heavy sweaters and boots, that’s all!” Miss Condrake said.

     “Hah, yeah.” Frisk smiled at that.

     “Oh, I forgot to ask you, how is your friend doing? The poor dear must be very lonely out there in the woods.”

     “Ya know, he actually doesn’t seem to mind it. He’s not much of a people’s person to begin with. Sans is just… how do I put this… different?”

     “Yes, he is a rather strange one. I’m honestly quite surprised that the village people haven’t gotten grown comfortable with his presence. He’s been around for so long, and he’s quite harmless.”

     “Yeah, he’s just a grumpy old man, that’s all.”

     “Oh ho! How amusing!”

     “He gets real mad when I call him that.”

     “Ha ha ha!”

 

     Frisk and Miss Condrake both laughed and continued to joke about how grouchy Sans could be. That silly old thing… He was a mystery in terms of history, but not when it came to his attitude.

…

     “Ah, thank you so much Frisk!” Miss Condrake blinked her amber eyes affectionately. “I was so worried about someone stealing them, so I just had to get these moved.”

     “Oh, it’s cool Miss Condrake. I’m happy to help,” Frisk said proudly as she brushed her fingers through her chestnut locks. They draped just over her shoulders.

     “You’re so helpful, dear. I’m glad that I can count on you. God knows that no one else will help me.” Miss Condrake’s bottom lip puckered. “Hah… I might be an old woman without much time left, but that doesn’t mean that I should just be abandoned by the rest.”

     “I agree. People are so ignorant at times, as well as pretend to be. Do you need anything else?”

     “Nope, I think that covers it.”

     “Alright then, I’m just gonna go for a walk. Things have been quiet here for a while, every day all about bein’ lazy.”

     “Yes, it has been rather quiet around here. Hmm…”

 

     Frisk gave a polite curtsey before bidding Miss Condrake farewell and exiting her home. The girl hummed a little tune to herself as she proceeded down the steps of the cabin and decided to wander toward the forest. Earlier, she’d spotted something lurking about in the trees. Perhaps Sans was back in town?

     “He’s been gone a while… He said he had to take a trip… I wonder if he’s back…” Frisk mumbled to herself. “Hmm…”

 

     Frisk trotted over to the enchanting world that lay just beyond the village. Not many people were brave enough to venture into that strange place for fear that something horrible might befall them. However, Frisk knew better. Plus, she had Sans watching over her all of the time.

     It had been a while since she’d trekked through this mysterious area. Her heart began to pound as she came to stand before it. She wanted to just leap in and go find Sans, to see if he was there. However, what if he wasn’t? He had warned her not to wander there while he wasn’t around. He said that he’d come to her once he got back… but she really wanted to see him. It couldn’t hurt just to take a peek, right?

     “I’m sure it’s fine,” Frisk told herself. “It’s not that big of a deal. I’ll be careful.”

 

     Frisk took in a deep breath, her shoulders rising as she inhaled and then slowly falling as she exhaled. She took a careful step forward, and then another, and then another before she had become occupied in a steady stride. She walked through the trees like she’d done it a million times, which she felt she had at this point. Her bare feet softly crunched in the grass and scattered leaves, her eyes careful to spot anything spot to avoid being stepped on.

     How long had it been since she’d ventured through here? She looked up toward the treetops before her, a warm smile forming upon her face as she admired the view. The sun was just peeking through, the trees shielding her as their shadows formed darkened patches upon her form.

     It was so peaceful… The leaves of the trees were whispering quietly to each other in the gentle breeze, the birds were chirping in the distance, and the sound of the rushing waterfall nearby worked to soothe her excited nerves. Ah, this was what Frisk adored, the magic of nature. Granted she wasn’t a real fan of insects, but she was always able to avoid that issue.

 

     As Frisk walked, she let her mind wander to that of Sans. If he was back, then perhaps he would be furious with her for exploring this place without his knowledge. Maybe he had just gotten back, and he was on his way to see her now? No… He preferred to come out during the hours of the night since most of the village was asleep and he could avoid drawing attention to himself.

     She could see him now, that humorous scowl on his face and that large pair of teeth grinding together in frustration as he would stifle the urge to thump her on the forehead with his bony fingers. She giggled at the image as she drew nearer and nearer to his homely abode. Maybe he was watching her right now, for he had a good view of her from this point on. He wasn’t that far off into the forest. He felt this was an advantage since this way Frisk would be safe if she ever decided to stop by for a visit. It wasn’t a trip that took a long time, and the location was close to her home.

 

     It only took her ten minutes to reach his tree house. It stood atop tall stilts that extended fifteen feet up, a large set of steps reaching up to the deck that extended around the sides and to the back. Humorously enough, he had Christmas lights lining either railing along the staircase, the decoration extending up and along the deck railing all around, as well as a set that decorated the rim of the roof. 

     The curtains were pulled over, covering the windows and preventing any from seeing inside. Frisk made a pouty face as she came realize this, right as she hit the top step. Hmm… Perhaps he wasn’t home, then? Or, maybe he was and just taking a nap?

     “Sans?” Frisk called as she lightly knocked on the door. “Are you there?”

     “…” There was no response.

     “Sans?” Frisk called again.

     “…” Again, there was no response.

     Frisk put her hands on her hips. “Hah…” Her head drooped sadly. “I guess he isn’t home yet…” she mumbled sadly. “Man… I was really hoping he was… It’s been two months…”

*whoosh*

     “… Boo…” a baritone voice whispered.

 

     Frisk screamed and swung around on the ball of her right foot, the left flying up along with her leg as she slipped upon the wooden flooring before her. Luckily, a strong hand was there to catch her. A firm arm wrapped around her back, the hand gently grasping her side. She looked up in shock, her face growing hot with embarrassment as her gaze was met with empty eye sockets.

     The tall figure was a skeleton, with large eye sockets usually occupied by two white pupils. He was dressed in a gray thick turtleneck with a blue heavy cloak over it, the trim of the hood coated with white fur. A pair of fingerless tan gloves clothed his large skeletal hands, while the lower half of his body was dawned in black pants and tan boots.

     “Geez! You scared me!” she cried.

     “Heh, sorry kiddo, couldn’t resist. Next time, just listen and wait for me to come to you. You’re lucky that I was already home. You know I hate how you wander these woods by yourself.” A frown formed upon the skeleton’s face.

     “I’m sorry…” she mumbled. “I just really wanted to see you…”

     “I know, but you need to be more careful,” he scolded.

 

     Frisk gave the surprise figure a guilty look as she was set back on her feet, her head craning to look at the wooden floor. She wrung her hands together as a hot blush formed across her face, her shoulders hunched as she tried to evade the glowering eye sockets that threatened to burn into her conscious.

     A firm skeletal hand clasped gently to her shoulder, followed by a soft chuckle. “Heh, you’re so naïve, you know… When will you learn?”

     “Sorry, Sans…” Frisk mumbled again.

     “It’s okay. I’ll let you off this time. But, next time, don’t let your curiosity get the best of you alright?”

     “Yeah.” She looked up at the skeleton with a smile, the return of those two white pupils granting her much comfort. “You got it.”

     Sans smiled coolly down at her. “Alright… Now that that’s over, I believe that a ‘welcome back’ hug is in order.”

     Frisk leaped happily into the arms of the skeleton. “I missed you, skelly jelly!”

     “Aw, I missed you too.”

     Frisk giggled as he set her back down. “I’m so glad to see you back. I really missed you.”

     “Heh, I’m sure.”

 

     Frisk followed Sans inside as he opened the door, his skull motioning invitingly for her to come along. The two came to stand in complete darkness, but only for a moment as he flicked the light switch of the lamp by the door. There was a brown couch to the right of the door that was placed just in front of the living room window, a large maroon rug placed upon the floor before the couch. A small wooden table was placed upon the rug.

     Across the spacious room from the couch, there was a small entertainment center, a pair of shelves lining either side of the large television that sat upon the large cabinet set. To the left of the entertainment set was the entrance to the kitchen, while to the far right was the door that led to Sans’ room, the door to the left of that leading to the bathroom.

     “Man… I forgot how roomy your place is,” Frisk said.

     “Yeah, I don’t have much but that’s okay. This is all I need. Have a seat, kiddo.” Sans went over to the couch and sat down, a hand patting the spot next to him.

     Frisk obliged and came over to sit at his left, the girl shyly placing her hands upon her lap as she turned to look up at the large creature. “So… How was your trip?”

     “It was good. I got to meet with some old friends I hadn’t seen in a long time,” Sans said.

     “That’s good… So, then…”

     “Hmm?” Sans cocked a brow bone. Frisk still hadn’t figured out how that was possible.

     “Um… I was wondering… if you maybe… told them… about…” Frisk’s voice trailed off.

     “Heh, not yet… They don’t need to know nothin’ about my time with you. See, they’re not of the modern age, so they wouldn’t understand…”

     “But… Sans… They know humans exist, don’t they?”

     Sans gave Frisk a serious look. “They do, but they don’t trust your kind. Just be patient…” He laid a hand over hers. “Don’t worry, you’ll get to meet them someday… Just be patient…”

     “I really want to get to know you better, your people too… I can really nice…”

     “Just a little longer, sweetheart… I know that you want to help them, but you’re going to have to wait for them to come around… The last thing I want is for you to get yourself hurt again. Remember what happened?”

     Frisk felt her heart skip a beat, her eyes widening. “Yeah… I remember…” She felt a chill run down her spine. “I… I remember… I… I’m sorry…” She looked away, embarrassed. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to bring that up…”

     “It’s okay… You don’t have to be afraid to talk to me about it,” Sans said. “You shouldn’t hide your feelings from me. That will only disturb me.”

     “I’m sorry… I… I…” Frisk’s lips began to quiver. “Curiosity… got the best of me… that’s all…”

     “It’s fine… Say, how about I make some Golden Flower Tea? That always seems to calm me down. I’ll whip some up for you.”

 

     Frisk nodded as Sans stood up, his hands slipping the thick blue cloak from his body and allowing it to rest upon the couch. As she watched him proceed toward the kitchen, images of the past began to flash across her mind. That night… It was horrifying… She was so lucky to have gotten out alive… She had been told not to wander the woods by herself… But, she was just so curious… She was glad that Sans was there… Who knows what would’ve happened if he hadn’t shown up…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that’s it for Chapter 1. This is actually turning out to be pretty good I think. I actually realized something funny, though. I’m basing this off of a book that I wrote. LOL, I’m gonna have to try hard not to spoil that! 
> 
> I wanted to hold off on introducing Sans for a bit, but then I thought, “No, I’ll go ahead and introduce him now since I don’t want to drag this out longer than necessary.” I don’t even know where this will go, anyway. Think of this as a small test, I guess. I don’t know if this is going to be a big thing or not. It might be… I mean, I have a feeling that I’m going to expand on it, but I don’t know how far I’m going to actually go with it just yet. Ooooooooooh, I’m just driving myself batty right now trying to rack my stupid brain with motivation… or “determination” in the case of Undertale.
> 
>  
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 2: Outbreak
> 
> A little preview: A description on Frisk’s life and how she came to be in the village… She was always a good child, so why… why was she punished with such a loss? At least she has Sans… Sans made a promise to always be there for her.
> 
>  
> 
> HollowArtist001 at DeviantART is where I'm at!


	2. Outbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tragic story of how Frisk's village suffered a frightening experience...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, here’s the next chapter. LOL, I don’t really have anything else to say. X D 
> 
> Previously: Enter Frisk, a curious fourteen year old girl who lives in a small village just before a mysterious forest. Not many people are brave enough to enter, but Frisk always ventures there when she wants to visit her special friend, a skeleton monster named Sans. He is a kind, earnest, but also stern type of creature. He always worries for Frisk, especially when she wanders the forest without his knowledge. 
> 
> In the beginning of this story, Frisk asks him about the other monsters and how she would really like to meet them. Sans, unfortunately, has to knock down her building hope by saying that they’re not ready for her yet. He reminds her of… what happened… years ago, prompting her to feel frightened and regretful of mentioning it in the first place…

     Frisk was a happy child and quite the adventurous type, too. Ever since birth, her parents always knew that she was destined for greatness. She had a heart of gold, a firm set of good morals, and always assisted when she could. Frisk learned quite a lot from her parents, more so her mother though than her father.

 

     Frisk’s father was a kind and respectable young man, as well as the subject of many young women’s affection. He had short brown hair with brown eyes, a small nose and thin lips. His light complexion was framed with strong jawlines and a chiseled chin, his body perfect and firm with muscle but not too much. He came off as handsome to many of the women in the village, and he could’ve chosen any of them to fall in love with… but instead he chose her.

     Frisk’s mother was the most beautiful to have ever walked the earth. Her long chestnut locks gracefully flowed behind her, her hair as soft as silk. Her ivory skin was creamy smooth, her large eyes as blue as the ocean. She had a much softer complexion than her husband, her baby soft cheeks slightly more round and her lips more full. She was much shorter compared to her husband, and so she did stand out every time she was with him. He didn’t care, though. He was just glad to have her by his side.

 

     Frisk achieved most of her looks from her mother, only snatching the traits of her father’s nose and lips. At times, Frisk’s mother would joke about how she seemed to like her looks more, to which Frisk’s father would laugh and say that he never stood a chance anyway, for his wife would win any beauty contest without even trying. Frisk would always giggle at these kinds of jokes between her parents.

     Like both of her parents, Frisk was born kind-hearted and raised with good morals. She always looked up to the two, admired their values and views upon the world. Her father was always so brave and willing to take on anything, while her mother was keener on settling simple disputes. Both were able to bounce off of each other and work together, making them the perfect couple with the perfect daughter who claimed both sets of personalities mixed together.

 

     The three were always the talk of the village, always the subject of positivity and how wonderful they were. Frisk was labeled as the poster child for angels sent from Heaven above, an example of how blessed young parents could be if they wished hard enough for the perfect child.

     “They’re happy together!” people would say. “Oh, isn’t their daughter just precious? Oh, and her mother… She’s just so beautiful… It’s amazing to think that she just happened to show up one day out of the blue, and bump right into him…”

 

     Frisk and her parents always did everything together. They would go out and play together, take walks, spend time with the other villagers and lend a helping hand when needed, or just sit at home and spend some quality time together. Frisk felt that she was living the life of luxury. Her family was just so perfect…

…

     Frisk was only six years old when the horrific outbreak surfaced. Villagers began dropping like flies, all dead within hours of catching the mysterious disease. Men, women, not even children were spared of this heinous wave of illness. There was so much blood, so many nose bleeds and coughing… Blood and tears dripping from the eyes… It was a horror show come to life…

     Frisk would never forget what she found in her parents’ room late one night. They had told her that they were fine, but she could see it as plain as day. From the moment that she’d greeted them early that morning, she could tell something was wrong. Her mother’s hair was matted and sweaty; her father’s face was so pale and clammy. Both tried to hide their sickness from her, but she knew…

     Frisk had sobbed over the bodies of her parents, of what which was left behind. When she first discovered them, she immediately ran to their sides and tried to shake them awake, but they didn’t move. She had clutched at her father’s chest and begged him to open his eyes, the tears flying from her face as she turned to tell her mother that he wasn’t waking up. She called out to them, pleaded for them to just… wake… up…

 

**. . . b u t  n o b o d y  c a m e . . .**

 

…

     Frisk felt so helpless. And so… she’d ran away. She felt that the other villagers couldn’t help, for they were fighting the sickness themselves. She didn’t know what to do. She was only a child. Clad only in a simple nightgown, she ran blindly through the village. Everywhere she looked, there were people coughing up blood and vomiting, all begging for mercy from it all. It was a horrific scene.

     Fearing for her life, without even thinking… she ran for the forest. The adults had always told the children that it wasn’t safe to roam there due to… things that lurked in the darkness. Frisk didn’t even consider this. She was so afraid of what had just transpired that she just wanted to get as far away as possible from it all…

 

     Frisk had run as fast as her little legs would carry her. Not long after, she’d become more afraid. She was lost now, trapped in the frightening darkness. She fell to her knees and began to cry, her small hands cupped over her face. She pleaded for her mommy and daddy to come back, to tell her that it was okay and that they would always be there for her.

     There was a sound… a low growl… Frisk’s head shot up and slowly turned to look behind her. A glowing pair of eyes was now staring back at her from within the bushes… They were a bright pink, both illuminating in the night. Frisk shivered as a giant paw emerged from within the trees. She screamed in fear as a monstrous figure came to stand before her. She got up to run away, only to bump into another terrifying beast, this one just as frightening. She curled into a quivering ball upon the ground as the two monsters loomed over her, both glaring down at her with menacing glares. Their voices were dripping with malice as they whispered to her, their tones as sharp as knives.

     “F o o l i s h  h u m a n  c h i l d . . .” they both breathed in unison. “Y o u  a r e j u s t  t h e  r e s t . . .”

     “No! Please! Don’t!” Frisk sobbed. “Somebody… Mommy… Daddy… Help me!” Frisk clawed at the top of her head as she braced herself for death. She could feel their hot breaths upon her skin, goosebumps now forming upon her skin. “Help me!”

 

     … Silence… Frisk whimpered weakly as she lay there on her side, her tears soaking her face and messy hair. She waited for these scary things to gobble her up… but there was nothing… Then… a gentle voice spoke. A firm, cold hand slowly placed itself upon her shoulder. She dared to move her hands away and look up…

     “Ssshh… It’s alright now, little one… You’re safe now… It’s okay…” the stranger spoke. “…”

     Frisk stared up at the tall figure innocently. She didn’t know what to say or do.

     “It’s okay…” the stranger whispered. “You’re safe now…”

     

     Frisk allowed the strange man to scoop her up and cradle her in his arms. His cloak felt so warm… She clung to it and buried her face in his chest. She couldn’t see his face, what with the hood pulled over his head, but she didn’t care. This man… He was kind… and those scary monsters… they were gone now.

     Frisk cried softly into the fabric of the man’s cloak, who was now comfortably rubbing a gentle hand up and down her back. He whispered to her that everything was going to be okay, now that he and some others were taking care of everything. Frisk cried to him how her mommy and daddy had died, that she was so scared she was next. He gave a sad chuckle and told her she was safe, as well as how sorry he was for her loss. Frisk continued to sob in this stranger’s arms as he carried her away. She had no idea who he was and what he was…

…

     The sickness disappeared as quickly as it had come. The remaining villagers were utterly horrified at the events that had transpired, their fear exemplified when they discovered that Frisk had gone missing. Someone had said that she’d taken off into the trees late one night, and so a search party was formed in order to search for the little girl. However, that was not needed, for she suddenly appeared a few days later in the arms of a mysterious figure.

     “I have your missing child here… Do not worry… She is safe…” the figure spoke as he gently set the child down.

     Frisk looked up at the being, who nodded back down at her. She nodded back, her small hands grabbing at his cloak. “… Thank you mister…”

     “You’re welcome little one…” He knelt down before her. “If you’re ever in trouble… come find me… I’ll be there unless otherwise… And, remember to never wander through those trees alone, especially without my knowledge…”

     “Okay… Thank you… Sans…”

 

     The villagers stood in complete shock as Frisk toddled over and into the welcoming arms of the friendly Miss Condrake, who was now looking the mysterious figure straight in the face. She mouthed a “thank you” to the creature, to which the creature nodded silently before disappearing back into the trees. Frisk watched him go, her eyes wide with newfound curiosity.

     “He was a really nice man…” Frisk said as she was lifted up. “He’s actually a skeleton… Did you know that?”

     “He is a very nice person,” Miss Condrake said as she turned to her fellow villagers. “He means us no harm. He is kind to our people… and he is working to achieve an understanding with his own…”

     “So… they do exist?” a man asked quietly.

     “Yes, and they are dangerous… but they don’t mean to be. They’re more afraid of us than we are of them… It’s all because of our ancestors, the pain that they caused them…” Miss Condrake looked down at the little girl in her arms. “… This child… has demonstrated that he indeed exists, that there is kindness within their hearts… We must not show them any aggression, ‘else that will only ignite their fury. Now… let us all recover from the treacherous loss we have suffered… Our ancestors… they are to blame for our tragedy…”

 

     Frisk didn’t understand what Miss Condrake meant at that time, how their ancestors were to blame for this loss. She had no idea of the hidden sorrows that were buried deep in the underground, just below the forest… the rumored place where the supposed monsters lived. She was unaware of the hard work that they’d had to achieve just to regain their lost freedom… the pain that they were forced to inflict not only upon others, but themselves… She was only a child, of course she wouldn’t know…

…

     “… but I know now…” Frisk whispered out the rest of her thoughts. “I know now…”

     Sans was now sitting next to her upon the couch, both with warm cups of Golden Flower Tea in their hands. “Yeah… It was rough…”

     “… So much pain… and suffering…” “Yeah…” Frisk teared up, her lips pressing together as she stifled a sob. “… Um…”

     “You okay, kiddo?”

     Frisk nodded, her eyes falling shut as she fought back tears. Sans sighed as he set his cup down upon the table, Frisk following suit.

     “C’mere…”

 

     Frisk crawled under his arm and nuzzled herself into his side. Sans whispered comforting words to her as he slowly ran his phalanges through her hair. She nodded as she leaned farther into him, her head nestled just under one of his ribs through his thick grey turtleneck.

     Frisk felt safe with Sans. He was like… like the father she’d lost. If he hadn’t have found her that night… who knows what would’ve happened to her. She probably wouldn’t be here now, all snoodled up next to him. Anytime she had a problem, she could always come to him. He would listen.

     “It’s okay… It’s not your fault…” Sans whispered.

     “… I miss my mom and dad…” Frisk mumbled.

     “I know…”

  

     Sans reached over to his right and grabbed a pillow from the end of the couch. He placed it upon his lap, Frisk lying her head down upon it moments later. She curled into a little ball as she felt his cloak drape over her, her eyes growing heavy now. Sans’ cool fingers continued to stroke through her hair, making her even more drowsy.

     “It’ll be okay…” he spoke softly. “I’m always here… I will always be there to protect you…”

     “… Thank you, Sans…” Frisk whispered.

     “You’re welcome…”

 

     Frisk’s eyes slowly fell shut, her small hand clutching at the pillow. Sans’ hand glided down to her shoulder and began to knead gently into her shoulder, the motion lulling her to sleep. She was like an infant in his lap, an image of innocence and purity.

     “… Heh…” Sans chuckled softly. “You know, for a pain in the ass, you’re alright…” He gave a sigh as he leaned back into the couch. “Hah… Geez…”

…

     “Oooooh, what an interesting human… Hehe, I wanna play with her sometime… She looks like fun… and she has a kind heart too. So admirable…”

 

     Unbeknownst to Frisk, someone was watching her and Sans through magic. The curtains had been pulled over, but that didn’t stop him from peeking in. Sure, he was nosy, but he never meant any harm in it. He had a good heart, too… He just liked to create… a little mayhem, is all.

     “What a pretty little human she is…” he whispered. “… Look at that adorable wittle nose… I just wanna tap my finger on it and be like, ‘boop! I got your nose!’ Her eyes are so beautiful, too. They’re so enchanting… Aw, her cute little toes are peeking out from his cloak. They’re so tiny… I’m tempted to wanna pinch ‘em. She seems like she might be the type that wouldn’t like that, though. Hmm… Nonetheless, she looks like she’d be lots of fun to play with!” The being clapped his small hands together. “Hehe! I hope that he won’t be mad at me if I decide to have a little fun! I won’t hurt her, I promise!”

 

     The mischievous creature leaped down from the tree branch he was seated upon and came to land perfectly upon his two feet. His crimson sneakers lightly dug in the dirt on impact, his ivory knees bent as he spread his arms out. A wide, humorous grin spread across his face, his rosy cheeks glowing. He’d let her off for now, catch her at a different time when she was hurting. Sans would only get mad if he intruded. He’d wait until she was alone, with no one else around.

     “I’m comin’ for ya, little girl… Hehe, just kidding! I just wanna play with you!” he whispered gleefully. “You’re very interesting to me… out of all the humans…”

 

     He giggled spitefully as he twirled around on the toe of his sneaker and gracefully bounced away, his arms playing waving up and down as he went. He would catch that adorable human sometime soon. He’d show her how to have a good time. Plus, he wanted to get to know her better. She seemed like she could use a friend who appeared to be her own age. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh ho! Who could that be? Well, gee, I wonder… Hehe… I can’t wait to get to the funny stuff I’ve got planned. XD Look out, Frisk, you’ve got a creepy stalker comin’ your way!
> 
> I was going to hold off for a bit on how Frisk came to meet Sans, but then I thought that it would be okay if I went ahead and just did it now. I can hold off on the big stuff until later. Give you guys a little appetizer before the actual meal… 
> 
>  
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 3: Tough Love 
> 
> A little preview: Sometimes, Sans has to be the bad guy and stand his ground when Frisk wants to do something that is just too dangerous. He means well, though. God, he hates having to play “Daddy”… She’ll grow out of it soon, that old woman says. She’ll learn eventually, that old woman says. WHEN, YOU CRAZY OLD BAT!? WHEN!!!!!!??????? 
> 
>  
> 
> *jumps on a rocket and farts off into the distance… Destination: DA
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART


	3. Tough Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans goes about a unique way of teaching Frisk important life lessons. It seems cruel, but it works.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, here is Chapter 3. LOL, at this point I’ve been working on this nonstop since I started (don’t worry , I got some sleep after writing Chapter 1; it was so late that night!). I literally started and finished Chapter 2 a little bit before writing out this chapter (on the day I wrote both). I’m really getting into this. I think this might be something really cool since it’s unique and… I don’t know, it’s just different. I like it, though. 
> 
> Previously: Frisk and Sans’ conversation from Chapter 1 sparks memories of the past to flare up within her mind. She remembers her parents and how wonderful they were. But then… something horrible happened. There was an outbreak of disease… and it nearly wiped out the entire village. Only a handful of people were left. 
> 
> Frisk was only six years old when she had discovered that her parents had fallen prey to this epidemic, and so she’d run into the woods where she was almost devoured by two disturbing creatures. Thankfully, someone came to her aid just in time. That someone was Sans…
> 
> Unbeknownst to the human, someone was watching. Someone, who was very curious about her, was watching…

     “Frisk! Frisk! You mustn’t wander too close to the water or else you’ll fall in!” Miss Condrake called to the little girl.

     “Look, Miss Condrake! Some of the leaves are floating in the water!” Frisk called. The adorable little six year old girl was smiling and pointing down at the leaves drifting within the pond.

     “Frisk! Come back over here, please.”

     “Okay!”

 

     Frisk happily skipped over to the elder, who smiled down at the child. Frisk beamed up at her. She looked so happy… It had been almost seven months since the awful tragedy that had wiped out most of the village. Frisk had finally defeated the awful nightmares that came to terrorize her every night, the night terrors included. It was all thanks to him. He’d helped her through it all…

     She began calling for him after the few times that he’d sensed she was troubled. It became a routine for her to call him forth for comfort, and he’d be there in a heartbeat. Frisk always told Miss Condrake about how kind and gentle he was with her. Last month, she stated that he was almost like her father.

     “He’s so nice… Miss Condrake… Can Sans come back out to play again?” Frisk asked.

     “I don’t know, sweetie. We’ll see,” Miss Condrake said.

     “I wanna play with him, though… I wish he was here…”

     “Well, dear, he seems to be the type that only comes out when he feels up to it.”

     “I guess so…”

*whoosh*

     “… You called?” a quiet voice asked.

     Frisk gasped and turned around. “Ah! Sans!” She immediately ran up to the tall skeleton and clutched at his front, the skeleton reaching down to pick her up.

     “Oh, you’re here! What a pleasant surprise,” Miss Condrake said happily. “Frisk here was just wishing for you to be here. Right, Frisk?”

     “Yeah! Hehe!” Frisk gave him a bright smile.

     “Aw, I missed ya too…” Sans nuzzled his nasal concha to her forehead.

     “I’m so glad you’re here! Sans, will you play with me? Pleeeeaaaaase?” Frisk begged.

     “Sure, just as long as you don’t get yourself into trouble. You about took a nose dive into that pond there.”

     “I was careful!”

     “If you were, then you would’ve been paying more attention.”

     “Sorry…”

     “Good girl.” Sans set the child back down.

     “Now then, what would you like to do?”

     “Um… I don’t know…” Frisk cocked her head to the side.

     “I got an idea…” Sans kneeled down before her. “How about… tag!” He lightly poked her arm before taking off.

     Frisk giggled and began to chase after him. “Hey! Come back here!”

     “You’ll have to catch me first!”

 

     Miss Condrake smiled as she watched the two of them play. It was quite the adorable sight. Sans had grown accustomed to this child. He was willing to perform her bidding if it meant making her happy. She was glad that he’d come into her life when he did… This child needed all of the support she could get…

 

…

 

     Miss Condrake had watched Frisk grow up from the tiniest infant and into a beautiful young girl who would soon come of age. She acted as Frisk’s legal guardian, and no one objected to that. Here in the village, no heinous crime was ever committed. Everyone knew each other to at least some extent. Obviously, some were closer with others, but Miss Condrake was close with everyone. She was the wise old woman of the village, after all. Anytime someone needed advice, she was the go-to choice.

     Besides being the keeper of the peace, she worked to be the best mother figure she could be for Frisk. Unfortunately, all children tended to act out on their own, and Frisk was no exception. She never stole or anything. She just liked to test her limits of bravery. Ever since the fall of their village, she had changed. She was still greatly traumatized, but somehow it made her want to become stronger. Miss Condrake did her best to keep an eye on the girl, but sometimes she’d needed Sans to help her out.

 

…

 

     Frisk was seven when she’d decided to try and climb that really tall tree. Miss Condrake had warned her not to try it, but she didn’t listen. The poor dear was halfway up, had just reached her first sturdy branch, and decided to look down. The girl was absolutely petrified, completely rendered motionless. She cried out for help, and Miss Condrake did try to get her down but she just wasn’t tall enough. That’s when Sans suddenly appeared from behind the tree.

     “Stuck there?” he asked.

     “Waaaaaaaaaaah!!!!! Saaaaaans!!!!!! Waaaaaaaaaaah!!!” Frisk wailed.

     “You need some help?” he continued.

     “Please help me!!!!! I’m scared!!!!”

     “What did she tell you? Huh?”

     “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeh!!!!!”

     “What did Emma tell you?”

     “I’m sorry!!!!!”

     “If you’re not going to answer my question, then I’m leavin’ ya there.”

     “She said not to try to climb the treeeeeeehehe!!!”

     “That’s right. Now, what did we learn?”

     “That it’s a stupid idea!!!!!!!!”

     “Good…”

 

     Sans summoned a wave of blue magic that zipped up the tree and wrapped around the girl’s waist. Guiding the magic with his hand, he gently pulled her from the tree and set her down before him. Sans stared down at her with a frown, the little girl sniffling as she wiped away her tears.

     “Stop crying, you have no reason to be sorry for yourself. You shouldn’t have tried to climb that tree knowing you couldn’t,” Sans scolded.

     “I thought I could, though…” Frisk croaked. “I wanted to be brave like the other kids.”

     “Well, risking your life isn’t the right way to go about that.”

     “I’m sorry…”

     “Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to her.”

     Frisk nodded and turned to Miss Condrake. “Sorry for not listening, Miss Condrake…”

     “Thank you, dear. Please be more careful, okay?” the elderly woman asked.

     “Yes, Miss Condrake.”

     Sans gave a sigh. “Hah… Okay then, are you alright now?”

     “Yeah,” Frisk said quietly.

     “C’mere and gimme a hug.” Sans knelt down with a smile as the child ran into his welcoming arms. “No more risking your life like that, okay?”

     “Okay…” Frisk said, a shy smile forming on her face.

     “Now we know not to climb trees like a fool.”

     “Yeah.”

 

     Miss Condrake adored the sight of Sans having accomplished in his mission to teach Frisk a valuable lesson. Yes, that child was smart. Normally, if Miss Condrake was the one having rescued her from something, then Frisk would’ve run right into her arms despite Miss Condrake having been the one to tell her not to do whatever it is that got her into trouble in the first place. But, not with Sans. If Frisk did something wrong, she knew that Sans would not tolerate her looking for pity when she clearly knew what she was getting herself into. He made that very clear, and she respected that along with Frisk. 

     Sometimes, Sans needed to give her tough love even though it seemed cruel. Frisk needed to learn from her mistakes, and he felt that it was the most effective way possible. He wasn’t wrong. Over the years that passed, Frisk quickly adapted to finding her way around her problems without much difficulty.

...

...

...

     Sans shook his head as he thought back to all the times that Frisk had gotten herself into trouble. He always asked Miss Condrake when this phase would pass, when he would finally be free of all of this. She always told him that it would happen soon, that she would eventually be able to leave the nest and fly solo.

     “She’ll grow out of it, she says… She’ll learn not to do that eventually, she says. When, ya crazy ol’ bat!? Geez…” He looked down at the sleeping child in his lap. “Heh…” He gave her hair a quick stroke. “Hah… You’re such a troublemaker… too smart for your own good… Sometimes, I just feel like ripping the hair out of my skull… Well, if I had any. I don’t, though… So, I’m just stuck banging it against the wall…”

     Frisk mumbled something inaudible in her sleep.

     “Silly…”

 

     Sans adored this kid so much. Despite how much trouble she was, he loved her like she was his own. He’d never forget that first night, when they first met, how he cared for her and did his best to comfort her…

 

…

 

     Frisk was so scared. She was curled up in a thick blanket, it pulled over her head as a sign of protection. Sans had given her some Golden Flower Tea to help her calm down, and it seemed to help. The poor dear was terrified of what had happened, especially since she didn’t understand why.

     “Mommy and Daddy… They wouldn’t wake up…” she croaked. “… There was a lot of blood… It was so scary… I ran away because… I was scared…”

     “It’s okay, honey…” Sans whispered gently.

     “It was so scary, mister… I miss my mommy and daddy… I want them to come back!” She started wailing over the loss, her little hands balling into fists as she brought them to her watering eyes.

     “There, there now, it’s alright.” Sans scooted closer to her and wrapped an arm around her. “It’s okay…”

     “I’m so scared! I miss Mommy and Daddy! I want them bahahahack! Tell God to give them back!”

     Sans could only look down on the child with an expression of pity. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that…”

 

     He held the child then, her hands clutching at his clothing as she bawled her eyes out. He lightly rocked her to and fro as a way to ease her frayed nerves. Over time, her sobs had dwindled to moans and then whimpers. Finally, there were a few sniffles here and there before she was falling asleep in his arms.

     “It’ll be okay… I promise that bad sickness won’t get you, too…” Sans whispered. “I’ll get it taken care of… and you too.”

     “… Mommy… Daddy…” Frisk mumbled.

     “Ssshh… Go to sleep now, little one… You need your rest.”

 

     Sans stayed with the child all night long. He was there when she awoke an hour later screaming and crying as she shook like a leaf in the wind. He was there when she began writhing around in her sleep during her second and third attempts at trying to rest. He was also there when morning came and she had once again realized that her parents were no longer a part of this world. He was there for it all, and he stayed with her for those precious four days that he still cherished in the present.

     He had told Frisk that her parents weren’t coming back. They were gone now. They had become angels and gone to Heaven. Frisk didn’t quite understand the whole thing at the time, but she came to accept it over the course of those few days. He explained to her that the sickness took them, and there was nothing he could do to reverse that. However, he was able to stop the sickness from spreading further. Frisk was too young to understand how, so he left that part out.

     “Will I get to see Mommy and Daddy again?” Frisk asked innocently. “Maybe… in Heaven one day?”

     “Someday, I’m sure,” Sans said. “When your time is up, your time is up. That’s all there is to it. Nothin’ can stop the reaper from claimin’ yer soul.”

     “I see… I guess… I can take that…”

     “You’ll understand when you’re older, I promise. I can explain it better then.”

     “Okay…”

 

…

 

     Sometimes, he could be gentle with her in order to get her attention. Sometimes, he needed to be a bit more firm when the situation called for it. However, she was always a good girl. Frisk had developed into a smart young girl because of his teachings and assistance from Miss Condrake. This girl suffered much pain… and it was only going to get worse each time the world threw a curveball at her. And so, Sans would have to up his game on toughening her up, to prepare her for anything… like the others.

     Sans knew that one day disaster would strike, and he would have to protect this child along with the other humans at any cost. Even his brother was on their side… He would still try to convince them otherwise. These humans were nice… Not all humans were bad.

     “I’ll protect you… until I can’t anymore…” Sans whispered as he looked down at her once more. “I’ll teach you everything I know… I’ll make sure you grow up strong and noble, able to defend yourself against anything. Yes… The determination burns within you… I can feel it… right down to your very soul… Nah, we haven’t gotten that far yet… and we won’t for a while… For now, just enjoy being a kid and have fun… okay?”

     Frisk smiled in her sleep, an adorable sight that just made Sans melt inside.

     “That’s my girl… Heh…” Sans smiled himself as he closed his eye sockets. “Hah…”

 

     Tough love… Sometimes it was a necessary evil, especially when life got rough. That’s how you would improve yourself and become stronger, that’s how you could make your loved ones stronger. A valuable lesson… It goes a long way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like where this is going. -^ _ ^- I’ve got so many things planned, a really in-depth story. Oooooh, I can’t wait to get to it. I just have to pace myself. I don’t want to rush into it or else I’ll lose sight of it because I’ll have probably ran ahead of it (it’s too late, I already haveHAHA).
> 
>  
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 4: Rumors
> 
> A little preview: The villagers were greatly concerned about what caused the outbreak. Did the monsters cause it? The skeleton seemed unaffected by it… How did he go about undetected, anyhow!? How long had he been living in the forest? Was it really true? Did the monsters… really… live… out there? The old woman’s speculation about the skeleton being there was true… so maybe there were more of them out there…
> 
>  
> 
> They see me tumblin’… They hatin’… But I don’t really care so EAT IT.
> 
> HollowArtist001 at DA YAY!


	4. Rumors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumors began to spread about terrifying creatures lurking within the forest after one such creature made his appearance...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, here is Chapter 4. This one goes more into depth about Sans' first appearance before the villagers and how they reacted. They didn't believe that there were monsters out there... At least, not until Sans showed up...
> 
> Previously: Sans reminisces about Frisk when she was younger, and how he had worked hard to toughen her up as well as teach her life lessons that would surely be forever engraved into her mind. Sometimes, tough love does the trick. It proves how important common sense is.

     There were rumors that something dark and mysterious lurked within the trees, just beyond the village… The proof was right there, as plain as the day. There he stood, the skeleton, in all of his glory, the missing child in his arms. The adults had all rounded together to try and find her, but now there was no need.

     She appeared fine, no scratch marks or anything on her. She walked over to the elder just fine. She talked fine. She seemed to be healthy as a horse. The skeleton didn’t show any aggression, either. He simply turned around and walked away, back into the shadows of the trees.

     “Miss Condrake! Who… was that!?” a man demanded.

     Miss Condrake looked over at the man. “It’s alright… He means us no harm…”

 

     She went on to explain how he was a friend, and that his people were more afraid of them than they were of him and his people. The other villagers were a bit skeptical of that statement, but they didn’t argue. They simply turned their attention toward fixing up the place, burying those who’d they’d lost over the course of a month. One month, that was all it took to wipe out dozens of people… A population of five hundred… shrunken down to only seventy-three.

 

     Miss Condrake had known the skeleton for quite some time it seemed. No one knew how, though. She always kept quiet about it. She knew that there was something out there. She kept telling everyone that… but no one believed her until that day when Frisk was returned safe and sound…

…

     Miss Condrake immediately took up responsibility as Frisk’s guardian. No one objected to it. As long as she was cared for, that was all that mattered. She and that little girl spent a lot of time in the forest together. Perhaps they were just venturing out there for fun. Or, maybe they were with those… things…

     The monsters… Did they really exist? Rumor had it that the monsters first came about long ago. An immense war had broken out after a horrific encounter with one of the monsters. A foolish human had speared down the monster’s child, and so they declared war upon humankind. It was said that a group of beings who possessed magic used their skills to seal the monsters underground somewhere. Over the years, peace reigned once more. But then, one day… it happened.

     A young woman was out picking berries somewhere deep in the forest and she happened to stumble upon a cave that appeared to be etched into a rock wall. A pair of glowing red eyes appeared before her. The woman ran away screaming, the basket of berries having fallen from her grasp. She raced back to the village in hysterics, claiming that something evil had spawned right before her eyes.

     Her husband told her not to worry, that it must’ve just been a bat or something. He and some fellow village men went out to investigate and, sure enough, nothing was there but a small group of bats. The woman was relieved to not only see her husband return safely with the others, but that only bats resided there. However, Miss Condrake knew better. She stated that the supposed monsters existed, that the story was true.

 

     No believed that crazy old woman and her wild stories that started spreading like the awful disease that broke out within the village. She claimed that ancestors of the village were to blame for the anger of the monsters, that the outbreak was the result of their hatred and vengeance. After witnessing that skeleton’s appearance, things became unclear.

     Families started locking their doors early on, right when dusk was about to hit. Children weren’t allowed to play outside after seven o’clock. Husbands started pulling their guns out and waiting outside on the front decks of their cabins. Wives began to become more secluded and stayed close to home, never straying outside of the village. If they needed to run to the store, they would go during the brightest hours of the day, from late morning to early afternoon.

 ...

     The skeleton never showed any signs of ill will toward the villagers. Sometimes, he would appear just outside of the forest and just linger there for a while. It was almost like he was “keeping an eye socket” on things. Usually, though, he would appear at night, when most were asleep. Miss Condrake assured the men of the village that he was quite harmless, and so they were instructed not to shoot at him. The skeleton seemed grateful of this.

     Miss Condrake and Frisk appeared to be fond of this massive creature. Frisk would always run right up to the thing as soon as she’d spotted him. The villagers slowly grew comfortable with his presence, but only of his own. They were unsure of what else was out there…

…

     There must’ve been others out there. He couldn’t be the only one, that skeleton. They would’ve asked, but they were all too afraid to get close to him. Miss Condrake always asked questions for them, and they always got the answers they were looking for. There were others out there… They were just too afraid to come out.

     He claimed that he was seeking out their understanding and trust, but he hadn’t gained much luck in that department. They harbored far too much hatred for the humans. They seemed to view the human race as “foolish”, “under-miners”, “heathens”, “murderers”… This made everyone feel that much more uncomfortable.

     Frisk told the rest of the village that she was almost eaten by two of the monsters, and so everyone was thrown into emotional turmoil. Miss Condrake assured them, though, that the skeleton… “Sans”, would protect them. He was kind and helpful, and seemed genuinely friendly toward the humans. He was different from the others, supposedly…

 

…

 

     Miss Condrake sighed as she looked on, her amber eyes locked on to the sight of the forest. Sans must be home, for Frisk hadn’t come back yet. The old woman gave a small chuckle as she shook her head. No doubt that mischievous little one was driving that poor skeleton up the wall with questions about his trip. She hoped that it went over well…

     Sans was working hard to convince the other monsters that the humans of this village were good, that only their ancestors were bad. Even his sibling was skeptical. He said that he was just as kind-hearted as Frisk, and that he couldn’t hurt a fly if he tried. However, he was on the monsters’ side. He believed in what his people did.

     “Oh… Sans… I hope that things went over well for you…” Miss Condrake whispered. “Frisk really wants to help your people… I know that they’re pained… It must’ve been difficult… What they had to do… just to regain freedom… What you had to do… for your people… Forgiveness… It is a beautiful thing…”

 

…

 

     Sans woke up some time later. Judging from how much darker the curtains had become, that meant that evening must be approaching. He looked down to see that Frisk was still asleep in his asleep, however she was stirring. He gave her a light nudge, and her large blue eyes fluttered open.

     “Hey there, sleepyhead…” Sans whispered.

     “Hi…” Frisk mumbled sleepily.

     “Emma’s bound to be worried sick about you… Heh…”

     “Shoot. I totally forgot… I didn’t mean… to linger… this long…”

     “Nah, it’s okay. We haven’t gotten to cuddle like this for a long time.”

 

     Frisk sat up and rubbed at her tired eyes. She looked so cute and innocent. Sans smiled at the sight. He missed this so much, being able to see his little human. Even though she drove him crazy at times, she still meant a lot to him.

     “You feel like nibblin’ on somethin’ before heading home?” Sans offered.

     “Sure… I could go for something small,” Frisk said.

     “Cool. I made some pastries earlier, the kind that you like. Cinnamon and butterscotch!”

     Frisk giggled. “Thanks.”

     “Heh.”

 

     Frisk excused herself and headed for the bathroom while Sans got up and walked over to the kitchen. His eye sockets narrowed as he thought back to his meeting with the other monsters. They were still there… They were waiting…

     “They don’t blame us… for what we did… Or well, what the king did…” Sans whispered. “However, they don’t know the truth either… Those humans… They don’t even know that… the cause of the outbreak… was…” Sans shook his skull. He didn’t want to think about it anymore. “No… I need to stay positive… for Frisk. The little snot will suspect somethin’. She’s pretty smart for her age, no doubt that being my fault.”

 

     Sans sighed as he went over to the fridge. He opened the door and pulled out a small pan of pastries. Frisk adored these, and it always made Sans so happy to see her little face light up as she would take a bite and savor the sweet treats. He spoiled her, he knew that. But, he didn’t care. As long as she was happy, then he was happy. He couldn’t stand to see her cry or angry. If she was hurting, he would find a way to fix it.

     “I won’t let the rumors poison your mind,” Sans said. “You’re not ready for the truth… not yet.”

     “Sans?” Frisk’s voice started the skeleton.

     “Oh! Hey there, was waiting for ya.” Sans put on a calming face, a lazy grin that was as natural as possible. “Just got out the pastries. We can send some to Emma, too.”

 

     Frisk and Sans spoke a little while longer as they enjoyed their pastries. Once they were finished, he offered to teleport her back to the village, to which she obliged happily. Once they were there, she gave the skeleton a quick hug.

     “Can I come see you again soon?” she asked innocently.

     “Of course you can. Feel free to stop by again tomorrow if you want,” Sans said.

     “Cool. I really missed you… I hate it when you’re gone.”

     “Heh, sorry… I had some important stuff to take care of. Oh, and by the way… Next time, make sure you’ve got shoes on.” Sans put on a serious face. “I don’t want you stepping on a rock and cutting your heel open. Or worse, you get bit by a snake or somethin’.”

     “Hehe, sorry old man!”

     “Hey! I told you not to call me that!” Sans’ pupils faded as his frown turned to a scowl. “Geez! I’m not that old!”

     “Ha ha! Sorry! I’ll see you tomorrow! Bye!” Frisk picked up the wrapped pastries at her feet and took off for Miss Condrake’s house. 

     Sans shook his skull as he grumpily muttered under his breath. “I ain’t that old… and that girl really needs to learn to wear shoes when venturing out there. It’s much too dangerous! She could get bit by a Copperhead or step on a piece of glass or… Ugh… I hate this whole ‘Daddy’ role thing I’ve got goin’ on… Ah well… Someone has to look out for her.” Sans snickered under his breath. “She’s troublesome, but she’s got good points…”

 

     That girl… She sure could be a handful, but she was still a good kid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahahaha! I gave Sans irritating “daddy” issues. He’s so adorkable, isn’t he? Ah… Sorry, skelly jelly. Love you! I can hear him saying I don’t in my head… but I don’t care. X D
> 
> So, what do you guys think so far? LOL, I tried to put in as much as possible at the start so that people actually have stuff to look back on as well as go off of. X D In my “Fallen Flower” story, I kept asking for comments, and someone mentioned that they didn’t much to say because there wasn’t much to go on. LOL, hopefully I solved that problem here. 
> 
> Feel free to leave your thoughts if you do have something to say, and if you don’t that’s cool too. ; ) As long as you all are enjoying this, then I’m happy. To be totally honest, I don’t leave comments often either… >//////<’’’ I should, but I don’t. I usually wait until I get to the end, and even then I don’t leave a comment. I’m so bad! 
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 5: Wild Child
> 
> A little preview: Remember that thing that Frisk thought she saw lingering in the trees back in Chapter 1, right before Miss Condrake called her? >:3 Hehe, a mischievous little sprite is about to appear. Or, shall I say… DEMON…
> 
> Enter the chaotic being will soon turn Frisk’s world upside down… You don’t want to miss out on that fiasco when it arrives. Trust me, it’s going to be good. I’m gonna have so much fun writing him out when I get there.  
> X D
> 
>  
> 
> Just gonna drop this here… BOOP.
> 
> HollowArtist001 at DeviantART.


	5. Wild Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Chara the demon, a mischievous little sprite with uncontrollable desires...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey out there! Here’s Chapter 5 of my new story. I think it’s easier for me to write out multiple chapters at once and then upload them all at once or maybe over the course of a few days or something like that. I think I might stick with this method…
> 
> Finally, I can get to Chara. Yeah, I went ahead and said it because I’m sure you all know anyway. X D Alright, I’m gonna get out of your hair and let you all read now. Enjoy. 
> 
> Previously: The villagers always wondered what lurked out beyond the forest. They saw the skeleton with their own eyes. Miss Condrake was telling the truth… She was worried about Sans and how his trip went. Sans, meanwhile, displays disappointment as he was unsuccessful at his attempt to woo his people to his side. Frisk still wants to know about them… but she isn’t ready for the awful truth, the truth that her beloved skeleton is involved with.

     The sound of crimson sneakers crunched softly in the warm pile of leaves. He was sneaking closer and closer to the skeleton’s cabin. He just wanted to take a peek at what he was up to. Plus… That girl… She’d seen him. He could her now, even closer though. She was sneaking up the steps ever so cautiously. Her small feet padded gently against the creaking wood. She looked so cute, a curious little soul.

     “Oh, and what do we have here? My newfound obsession is attempting a break-in, perhaps?” he whispered. He gave a playful giggle. “Oh ho! I wonder if I should go now? Hmm? Ope, nope. Not yet.”

 

     He immediately picked up on the skeleton. Sans was nearby. His Soul Sense began to itch, irritating the little one just a little bit. Sans was extremely powerful no doubt, so that was why this “itch” just wouldn’t go away! No matter how hard he scrambled to scratch it, it was still just out of his reach.

     “Ugh! Go away, ugly skelly! I can’t focus on this girl’s adorable tookus!” the boy hissed. “Hmph… He always ruins my fun…”

 

     The skeleton was lurking a few feet behind her, somehow silently despite his large size. How was that possible? The big lug was just so bulky and stumpy. What a disappointment, nonetheless. He was about to go and greet the girl, try to woo her with his charms, but now he couldn’t because that skeleton was around.

     “… Ah well,” he continued. “I guess I’ll have to wait just a bit longer… Oh! Ahahahaha!” He clutched at his gut with one hand, the other cupping over his mouth. He’d just witnessed the girl almost leapt out of her own skin as that skeleton suddenly appeared right behind her! Oh ho! What fun that was to watch! “Hehe! Now, that was a treat. Thanks skelly! I needed that!”

 

     He observed the two in silence as they began to talk. Sans was apparently upset that she’d decided to wander into the forest alone. The girl expressed guilt, so he forgave her. That’s how it went with him. He treats her like crap and forces her to feel guilty over something that was clearly just a simple mistake, and then he forgives her for it. Sans called that “tough love”. Psh, that wasn’t tough love. That was just downright cruel in his eyes.

     “How stupid that sounds… Hmm… They’re heading inside now… Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to observe from a distance.” He leapt high into the air, landing perfectly upon a tree branch a few moments later. “Oh shoot, he has the curtains pulled over… Hmm, guess I’ll have to get forceful.” He plopped himself down upon the branch and began to focus. “Mmm…”

 

     The boy’s eyes were as red as fire, both burning with curiosity. He had a similar complexion to the girl, only his skin was much more pale, a pretty ivory. In contrast, his round cheeks were a solid rosy pink. Framing his face was a head of light brown hair, straight-cut bangs that fell just before his eyebrows and ends that rested at his shoulders.

     He was dressed in what he called his “playful attire”, an outfit that he was pretty much always dawned in. He had on a green sweater with a brown collar, a single golden stripe that wrapped around his entire middle, as well as one that wrapped both forearms of his sleeves. At the end of his sleeves were brown shirt cuffs. Overtop his signature sweater was a pair of black jean overalls, a small red heart design resting against the left breast of the clothing. Finally, he had his adorable red sneakers to complete his look.

     “Let’s see what we’ve got going on here,” he said. “Ah… I can see them now…” Through his eyes, there was a small portal in the wall, a little window for him to see through. The pair was approaching the couch. “Hmm… Oh, well I’d like some Golden Flower Tea sometime too… It’s delicious.”

 

     He gave another giggle as he observed the girl. She was so pretty. Those chestnut locks that framed her perfect face… Her eyes, as blue as the sky… Hmm, what was it about this girl that drove him wild? He pondered this for some time. He’d only spotted her a little while back, but still. Who was this girl? He needed to know more about her and what attracted him to her.

     “Just who are you?” he asked, his small chin falling into his hands as he propped his elbows up against his knees. “Hmm… I wonder.”

 

…

 

     He first laid eyes on her when she was sleeping. He was wandering the woods and he’d happen to stumble upon the village again. He had trekked through the place so many times, but he’d always avoided her… That is, until that one night when he’d decided to take a peek in one of the cabin’s windows just because he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to see what it was that these humans did late at night. He’d looked in a few others before hers, and none of them really caught his attention.

     She was sleeping soundly in her bed, her little chest rising and falling with each slow breath she took. She was absolutely breathtaking. His mouth fell open at the sight, his eyes wide. He needed to get closer…

 

     He appeared so quickly in her room, silent so as not to disturb her from her slumber. The girl’s cover had been bunched up at her side. Hmm, she must’ve grown restless. She did have a slightly pained look on her face. Her thin arms rested at either side of her head, her small hands balled up in loose fists. Her white t-shirt rode up just enough to expose her small tummy.

     He stared down at her, his eyes gazing up and down her body. He cautiously approached her and came to sit at her bedside, his wandering hand sliding along the bed sheet without even realizing what he was doing. His fingers tingled as they touched her cool skin, his eyes locked onto her face. The palm of his hand explored the exposed portion of her body, his fingertips tracing over her navel and to her other side.

     “…”

 

     His mouth fell slightly open before closing again, his heart pounding as she gave a soft whimper. He looked over at the foot of the bed, his eyes widening as he spotted her tiny feet peeking from the bunched up blanket, her little toes curling as she arched her back.

     “… Oh…”

 

     He slowly crawled on top of her, his hands both coming to rest against her quivering belly. He’d never seen someone so… intriguing… before, someone so beautiful. His knees hugging her sides, he leaned in close to her face. He could feel her breath against his lips. Slowly, he lowered his face down, his warm cheek resting against hers. He closed his eyes as he felt her heart beat within her chest against his.

     His hands gently kneaded into her soft, warm skin. His fingers slowly trekked along the front of her middle, the tips of his sneaking appendages crawling over her navel once more. He smiled as she let out another soft whimper. His fingers circled around the small crevice, the action sparking her to arch her back more. He giggled at the sight.

     “Your skin is so soft…” he whispered. “… I’ve never met anyone like you before…” His eyes grew wide with wonder. “… Ah… No way… You… You have…” His hand slid up her body and came to rest at her chest. “Your… soul… It’s so… warm…”

     “Mhm… Mmm…” The girl was stirring.

     “I should go… Until we meet again…” He lowered his head and pressed his lips to her forehead. “I’ll be waiting for that moment…”

 

     He was gone when she awoke. She looked around, her eyes wide. She had sensed that someone was in the room with her. She clasped at her gut as she looked down. Someone had touched her. But, there was no evidence that anyone was with her.

     “Who… Who’s there?” she stammered. “Anyone? Sans? Was that you?”

     “Heh… Just me…” He was standing outside now, his back against the wall with his arms crossed and a smile on his face. “You… You really are special…”

 

…

 

     He playfully twirled around on the ball of his foot, his arms outstretched as well as his free leg. This girl was like a drug, and he was hooked on her. She was so pretty, and she had the cutest personality. She was smart, brave, and adventurous. He wanted to speak with her, get to know her on a more personal level. He would in time, once he had the chance to get her alone. He’d wait until she was vulnerable. That would be the best time to strike. He could hardly wait for that chance.

 

     The little demon boy’s name was Chara. He appeared innocent and frail at first glance, but in reality he was as dangerous as the devil himself. However, he wasn’t evil like the devil. No, he was actually the opposite. Well, unless one got cross with him. That would be a huge mistake, now wouldn’t it?  
Chara always kept to himself, unless he wanted to terrorize Sans for fun. He knew the skeleton all too well. He’d first met the guy long ago, back when the monsters first went to war.

     Sans was but a newbie to the world at that time, Chara having come into existence not long after him. He and the skeleton never did get along, but that was just because Sans was always trying to push him away. Pfft, he never did have a sense of humor. Maybe it was because of his master… His master… His creator… He was the only one Chara feared. Despite being a part of their kind, even the monsters feared him…

 

     Chara and Sans were like two sides of the same coin, polar opposites that came together to form one. The skeleton was more mature, while the demon preferred to cause mischief. Chara always enjoyed pulling a little prank on him every once in a while, from stuffing a small beetle down his pants to tossing a wild hen into his cabin while he was resting upon the couch. Chara didn’t always go to such extremes, but sometimes he felt the situation called for it.

     There was one time when he snuck in while the skeleton was asleep and he decided to draw on the bonehead’s face. Chara stifled his giggles as he drew crooked circles around the skeleton’s eye sockets so that when they went blank they’d help to make it look like he had googly eyes. Complete with a curly mustache drawn just under his nasal concha and black lines made to look like hair atop his skull, he looked like a real mess. Sans wasn’t happy when he woke up later, and Chara could only roll around on the ground outside hugging his sides as he observed the skeleton look himself in the mirror from afar.

 

     Chara gave a hearty laugh and a cheer as he suddenly shot upward, his feet landing on a tree branch. He leapt from that branch on to next, and he just kept going. He threw his arms out and pounced on the branch ahead like an animal, the demon keeping up with this routine.

     “Yahoo! Yeah!” he cheered. “This is fun! Ahahahahahaha!!!!” His tenor-level, baby-like voice squeaked as it hit an octave louder than usual, but he didn’t mind it. If someone heard him, then so be it. He could use some company.

 

     Chara flew from the last tree he’d decided to pounce upon, the wild child high in the air as he leapt from that. His arms and legs outstretched, palms open, his mouth spread in a wide grin as he cried out with excitement. His hair whipped back as he rocketed toward the ground, the demon squealing as he collided with the dirt and stray rocks.

     “Oof!” He stumbled into a tuck-n-roll, his arms wrapping tightly around his sides as his legs bent into his form. “Yowch! Yikers… Guess I’ll have to be more precarious of my timing when preparing to land… Ah… Okay. Welp, that was fun. Now what?”

 

     Chara sighed as he turned over onto his back, his arms and legs spread wide-eagle. He stared up at the trees above him, his lips pressing together as he thought of what he could do next. Hmm, maybe he could go check on the monsters back at the mountain. Were they even still there? They were free now. They didn’t have to stay there anymore. They got what they needed…

     Chara frowned as he thought back to those days. The monsters… What they had to do in order to achieve freedom… Goat Mom… Goat Dad… Asriel… Chara shot up to his feet and took off in a sprint. He had to see them. He wanted to know what they were up to, most importantly Asriel. Goat Brother…

     “… Asriel…” Chara whispered under his breath as he ran. “… How are you feeling?”

 

     Asriel… Was he well? Or, was he still the same as before… the same state that he’s been in for quite some time now… How was he? Chara was going to find out…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo! Okay, finally got Chapter 5 done. I pretty much whipped the first five chapters up over the course of a couple days. I’m debating on whether to put together a full AU for this, but I’m not sure yet because I have actual stuff to focus on. Although, I can’t really get to that right now, so I guess it couldn’t hurt… I don’t know.
> 
> Oh goodness, I’ve got so many things swirling around in my head right now… - @ x @ - Well, at least I’ve got a lot of stuff to add to it to make it more interesting. That’s a good sign, right? 
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 6: The Monsters
> 
> A little preview: They would never forgive the humans for what happened to her… That monster child didn’t deserve it… She didn’t mean to frighten them… She was only a child… So why, then… They wouldn’t dare do that to their own… 
> 
> That was what sparked the war… Her family would never rest without justice… Those… fools… How dare they lock them all down there in that dark and frightening place? Well, if they were going to take their loved ones from them, then their people would strike back and hurt those dreaded humans just as badly…
> 
>  
> 
> Those dreaded humans… How would you feel about checking out this more adorkable human here? : 3 Don’t worry, the monsters and I were able to talk things out. They trust me. Hell, they love me. -^^-
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/hollowartist001


	6. The Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hatred... It's a horrible disease... The monsters were deeply infected by it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, welcome to Chapter 6. I’m building so much backstory right at the start. I feel like I’m givin’ y’all a history lesson here. Don’t worry, we’ll actually get some story stuff going on here very shortly. This should be the last one that’s very “backstory-heavy”. 
> 
> So, this chapter is about the monsters and how they came to be not only furious of the humans, but fearful as well. The last chapter with Chara was extremely short because there’s a lot of stuff I have planned for later and Chara’s backstory ties into that (you’ll see what I mean when we get there). 
> 
> Previously: Enter Chara the little demon boy, a mischievous sprite that likes to have fun and pull pranks on Sans. He also develops a strong infatuation for Frisk, and he is unsure why. What he is sure of, though, is that she is special. Her soul… He’s never sensed such a soul…

      It all started when a little monster girl wandered away from her parents. She was small, being only a toddler. She had a large head, big eyes and a pair of sharp teeth. She came off as “frightening” to a human child who happened to wander from his parents as well. He had screamed as soon as he’d spotted her. A group of adult humans had heard the child screaming and came to his aid. They spotted the monster child, and that’s when they speared her down… They thought she was trying to harm the child, but she was only trying to say hello.

     The news spread like wildfire amongst the monsters. Her parents were devastated, grief-stricken that their child had been brutally murdered. They expressed their outrage to the king and queen, both of whom were just as shocked. The entirety of the monsters was furious with the humans. How dare they attack one of their own without question! And so, without question, the parents of the monster child targeted the first human child they spotted and slaughtered him. This enraged the humans, sparking the beginning of the war.

 

     The monsters and humans fought for many years. Men, women, and children from both sides all fell victim, innocent souls that had so much ahead of them. Souls… They were snatched from within their chests, their lives torn out along with their guts, leaving nothing left inside. It was a tragic battle…

…

     The sorcerers were the ones that sealed the monsters down into the Underground, the horrible place that the monsters were forced to adapt to. They were trapped within that dreaded mountain, and no matter how hard they tried they couldn’t break the damned Barrier… The Barrier was what stood between them and freedom...

     The monsters were stripped of the unlimited supply of food and water. All their lives, they’d lived like animals that were free to wander wherever they wanted. After being sealed in the Underground, they went into a frenzy trying to figure out how to adapt to this new life. Thankfully, he was able to teach them…

     The monsters learned simple things, like how to cook food and plant things that grew into more food. They learned how to build things, actual things like houses. Some even realized their potential with technology and developed unique tools in order to help modernize their species. Before, they were basically wild animals who freely hunted for prey. Now, they had become civilized beings within a contained area. 

... 

     He told the king and queen how they could all break free from this awful prison. The monsters had long since come to adapt to life in the Underground, but they yearned to see the sun again. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t break the dreaded wall… The Barrier… It was what stood between them and freedom… and he knew how to destroy it. It would come with a major cost... The other monsters set this aside… They wanted freedom, and they were going to get it one way or another.

 ...

     The first human fell down the mountain many years later. It was a child, an innocent form of life whose soul was ripped out right before their very eyes. Seven souls… That was what they needed in order to leave… The monsters didn’t care how painful the process was for the human. They didn’t care how much the child begged, pleaded for their life.

     It was cold-blooded murder. The queen, having led the attack, could only stare down at her blood-soaked paws, her nostrils flaring as her widened eyes took in the awful sight of a disheveled corpse. Floating in front of her, within her grasp, was the first key to the seven locks holding the door to freedom shut. This human was merely a tool that was being tossed away, no longer needed… Why else would they have fallen down in the first place?

 

     Six more humans fell over the course of several years, three decades to be exact. Some of them were children like the first, while the others were adults. As soon as they’d touched the ground, they were all slaughtered. A few of them were brave enough to try and escape, but their attempts were all for naught. No one up above heard their screams for help as they were dragged away to their deaths, the monsters excitedly exacting revenge upon them without mercy.

     They spared no amount of remorse…  
He watched the monsters kill the humans. He watched the humans suffer. All he did … was watch… He tried to warn them, but they didn’t listen. Hatred… It could make anyone appear ugly. Hatred, to him, was a disease. His people had been infected by it, its sickly hooks sinking deep into their minds and poisoning them with lies and false hope. His people were hopeless… They would never find peace… not like this. No, his people would fall. He predicted that… every last one of them…

     They collected the human souls over the course of several years, almost three whole decades. Once they achieved their freedom, they immediately began to make plans to escape the awful world that was the Underground. The king and queen were shocked at how far their people had come. If only… their son… could see… Their beloved son, the one brave monster who tried to stand up to the sorcerers before his people were sealed along with himself and his parents…

 ...

     The monsters' happiness was short-lived. A human woman… She’d spotted one of their own lingering in the cave and she’d fled before they could catch her. Terrified that she would send out more humans, the monsters scrambled together to form a plan. Where would they go? How would they live now that they were used to civilized life? There had to be a place… a place where the humans couldn’t find them…

     The woman didn’t return, but in her place were a group of human men. They never found the monsters. They were long gone. The men had tried to find them, but they were unsuccessful. The monsters… They had found a new place to call home, a part of the forest that no humans appeared to have discovered. This… was where they would live now, in peace and harmony, as far away from the humans as possible…

 

…

 

     Chara stood before a row of trees, all covered by a sheet of leaves draped over them. He gave a sigh as he walked through the wall of leaves. He was travelling through a tunnel, that which branched out in the form of many paths. He knew which way to go. He’d done this so many times before.

     Not more than a few minutes later, he had reached the end and came to stand in a clearing. His eyes took in the sight of the many patches of gold blossoming in various parts of the ground. These flowers… They were the most beautiful of nature’s gifts. A look of sadness formed upon Chara face’s as he observed the blooms from afar. It was said that when a loved one died, a golden flower would spring to life from within the earth. So many lives had been lost on both sides, so many lives that had friends and families…

     “… This place makes me sick…” Chara muttered under his breath. “I wish that I could just tear this place out of existence…” The sight of these flowers… They made him want to vomit. “Asriel… I don’t know how you could love these things… They’re not beautiful… They’re disgusting…”

 

     Chara continued down the array of golden flowers. He did his best to pay them no mind, his small hands balling into fists as he stared ahead with a look of frustration. He was here for Asriel, nothing else. He needed to keep all thoughts on Asriel, and it would be okay. Yes… Asriel…

…

     Chara avoided the king and queen, quickly evading their line of sight. He knew that he’d been discovered, but he wasn’t in the mood to talk to them. He wanted to talk to Asriel, see if he was okay.

     “There you are…” Chara smiled softly as he came to stand before the entrance, the colorful arrangement of flowers trailing up and meeting at the top of the opening. “Asriel… I’m back…” He slowly reached into his pocket and grasped something. “I brought you something…”

 

     Chara slowly preceded forward, his eyes locked on the faint light ahead of him. He walked through the short amount of darkness before embracing the beauty of a silent meadow. The trees overhead all curved in at the top to hide most of the sun, only slivers of its warm light peeking through.

     Lying on a soft bed of golden blooms was the one that Chara longed for. He was sleeping peacefully, his little paws clasped together at his chest. The small goat creature was dressed in a set of minty green pajamas, the fabric as soft and smooth as silk.

     “… Hey, Asriel, I’m back… Did you miss me?” Chara asked. He approached the bed of flowers and gently sat down beside his sleeping friend. “I brought you something…” He pulled out what was in his pocket. “… It’s a locket… See?” Chara carefully laid the golden locket down by Asriel’s head. “I got it from a nice merchant. He owns a little shop in this small town I went to visit that’s not too far from here. Not the village, but a different place… Heh, as soon as I saw it, I just knew that you had to have it.” Chara smiled sadly. “Asriel… You can hear me, right? I hope so… I miss you so much… I know you’ll come back someday… I just have to be patient.”

     “Eheh, is that so? Hmm?” That voice…  
Chara shivered as he felt his blood run cold. His expression turned blank as his face became a sickly pale as he slowly turned his head. “… You… I see you’re… back…”

     “I am… You said you missed me… Ahahahaha! That’s a first!”

     “I wasn’t talking to you…”

     “Um, yes you were. I am him, the same way he is me.”

     “You are not!” Chara’s eyes flared with rage, his teeth grinding together in a snarl.

     “Please… You couldn’t be more wrong. Hehe, face the facts demon boy. I’m not going anywhere.” The flower that had appeared before Chara flashed a dastardly grin. “I am here to stay… He’ll never wake up because he’s with me now…”

     “You stupid… little… weed…”

     “You know that isn’t my name… It’s Flowey, remember? Flowey the Flower!”

     “More like the little lying weed!”

     “You’re not that great with insults, are you?”

     “Gugh…”

     “Did you run out of what to say during our last confrontation? Ahaha! Pathetic as usual…”

     Chara’s eyes narrowed. “You’re nothing but a fake… You’re not him. You never will be, and he will never be you…”

     “They all see me as just another golden flower… You see me for what I truly am… Hehe… They all see him as someone trapped in eternal slumber… You see him like he’s actually still breathing…”

     “He is!”

     “Oh, be careful now. You don’t want Mom and Dad to hear you. Ahahahahahahaha!!”

 

     Chara growled in frustration as he attempted to reach down and snatch the flower with his angry hand. Flowey had disappeared into the ground, his demonic cackling now muffled as it echoed within the dirt. That damned weed… He was a curse. He had to be destroyed. Chara felt that he was the reason that Asriel was still asleep… He would destroy that thing no matter what. He would save Asriel from Flowey’s heinous, vinery clutches.

     “I will save you, Brother… I swear I will,” Chara said as he turned back to Asriel. “I won’t let him take you away from us… Please, hold on just a little bit longer… I’m going to save you… I promise…”

 

     Chara would find a way to save his friend. And, once he did… maybe he and that girl could meet. Chara still had no idea why he was so infatuated with her. That girl… Maybe… Maybe she could… Maybe…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that’s it for Chapter 6. This should be the last “backstory-heavy” chapter for a while. Finally, I can get to building the actual plot. I D
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 7: The Difference between Right and Wrong  
> A little preview: Frisk becomes involved in a difficult situation when a fellow village boy calls her out with derogatory remarks and sparks a fistfight between the two of them. Frisk comes out the victor of the fight, but not the victor of avoiding reprimanding at the mercy of Sans. Once again, he has to play the role of “Daddy” and teach his “daughter” a valuable lesson with his words of wisdom. Of course, someone else feels he has a say in the matter as well… 
> 
>  
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantArt


	7. The Difference Between Right and Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk gets into trouble, so Sans has to straighten her out. Time to play "Dad" again...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I have Chapter 7 ready to go. This one will help progress the actual story. I’ve built a lot of backstory, so now I can move on from that. There is much more to this whole thing, though. ; ) I just haven’t gotten to it yet. It should be noted that there is some derogatory terms used in this chapter that may come off as offensive to some people. Please be wary of this. 
> 
> I’m sorry to say that this chapter is extremely long. I couldn’t stop myself… I’m sorry… TT 3 TT Please forgive… Puu…
> 
>  
> 
> I’ve got some cool drawings for this story that I’m going to upload to Tumblr soon! Once they’re done, I’ll leave a link in one of the later chapters. : D So far, they look pretty good. I thought it’d be fun to do, and also I thought it would help people visualize what the characters look like. 
> 
> Previously: The story of the monsters is a tragic tale. They hurt so many humans just to regain their freedom… and it was all because the humans had hurt them first. They took away one of their little ones… Hatred is a disgusting disease.

     Frisk sat upon the top step to her cabin home, her arms wrapped around her knees. She was humming a little tune to herself, a smile on her face as she watched some of the village men carry furniture into the cabin across the way from hers. Some new people had moved in, and they seemed really nice. It was always good to see newcomers to the village. It helped to expand it, to make it livelier.

     “Mommy?” the little girl of the family asked. “Can I go play with the other kids? They asked me if I could, but I told them I had to ask you first.”

     “Sure thing, sweetie,” the mother said. “It’ll be great for you to make new friends. I hear the kids in this village are very nice!”

     “They are! I can’t wait to start school here.”  
Frisk smiled as she watched the little girl happily skip toward her new potential friends who might just become her best friends forever. “Cute. I remember those days when I was that small…”

     “Hey… You,” an aggressive voice suddenly piped up.

     Frisk turned to the source of the voice in question. “Huh?” It was a boy, and he appeared to be Frisk’s age. “Um… Can I help you…?”

     “I see you sitting there, looking all creepy-like at my little sister… What are you thinking, huh?” The boy put his hands on his hips, a glare on his face. “You some kind of creeper or something?”

     “What!? No! Who do you think you are, anyway?”

     “I was asking you the questions first! Look at you, anyhow, all dressed like that!”

     Frisk felt a hot blush across her face as she hugged her sides. “Um… Excuse me for wearing a shirt that happens to be longer than my shorts!” Frisk was dressed in a baggy crooked-collar shirt, her shorts covered by the top. “Plus, you’re one to talk about a strange wardrobe! Look at you!”

     The boy gave a huff as he looked away. “Hmph… I happen to like what I’m wearing.” He brushed back his short ginger hair, the freckles dotted all on his pale face accompanied by a blush of his own. “You got a problem with what I’m wearing? At least I’m properly clothed.”

     “Really? You look like a hick if you ask me…” Frisk muttered, her glowering eyes scanning over the boy’s dirty tan shirt and blue jean overalls. She scoffed at the muddy boots he was dawned in. “You sure look the part, don’t you?”

     “Hey, I like what I’m wearing.”

     “And I like what I’m wearing. You got a problem with me?” Frisk shot up from the top step, her sneakers smacking against the wood. Her arms stiffened at her sides, her hands balled up into fists.

     The boy gave her a cocky smile. “Oh, you gonna try and look tough? I’m not scared of you… Why should I be scared of a puny white girl like yourself?”

     “Excuse me!?” Frisk was really mad now. “You’ve got some nerve calling me that!”

     “C’mon, look at yourself. You’re a clear picture. You’d make a good poster child for this village… Heh, maybe you’re the hick since you seem to have lived here all your life.”

     “Why, you little!!!”

 

     Frisk cried out in anger as she stomped down the steps and slapped the boy right across the face. He stumbled back with an expression of shock, his hand pressing to his cheek where he’d been hit. Frisk growled in frustration, prompting the boy to lunge for her. The two tumbled to the ground, hands clawing at one another as they tried to scratch each other’s faces.

     “Stupid hoe! Go back to your whore house!” the boy cried.

     “Shut up, you country bumpkin reject!” Frisk snarled.

     Both children rolled around on the ground, completely ignorant of the calls for them to stop from the adults. A man and woman came rushing over and pulled the boy off of Frisk, who had just pinned her to the ground and threw a couple punches at her face. As he was being pulled off, she gave a harsh kick to the boy’s stomach. She spat out curse after curse at the boy as he was yanked away, his parents scolding him for apparently sparking yet another fight. From the sound of it, this wasn’t his first rodeo.

     “You jerk! I hope you burn in Hell for your sins!” the boy called.

     “I’ll meet you there!” Frisk spat.

 

     Frisk stumbled to her feet as Miss Condrake came running out. She demanded to know what had happened and why Frisk looked like she just got out of a bar fight. Frisk explained what had happened and how she was only trying to teach the boy a lesson. Miss Condrake gave a sigh as she shook her head. Frisk turned to see the boy and stuck her tongue out at him, the boy returning the gesture. Miss Condrake then instructed her to go and clean herself up.

     “You’re a mess. Your hair is matted and you’ve got some scratches on your face. Clean yourself up. Go,” Miss Condrake ordered.

     “He started it!” Frisk shouted in anger as she stomped back up the steps.

     “Frisk… Let’s not rehash this.”

     “Miss Condrake… He called me a whore…” Frisk turned to her with a pouty face. “He had it coming…”

     “You let his parents take care of him. Go on now.”

     “Fine…” Frisk turned away with tears in her eyes. She didn’t mean to lose her temper. He started it…

 

…

 

     “Oh! What fun that was to watch! It seems my girl here is quite the spitfire!” Chara shouted with glee. “Ah… What a day this must be to feel alive!” He leapt down from the tree branch he was seated upon. “Perhaps… this may be my chance. Hmm? Oh… Nope, I need to wait longer…” Chara smiled as he spotted the glaring skeleton. He had a look of absolute disapproval on his face. “Hehe… Thanks skeleton, now she’ll really be hurting. All the more reason for me to fill her heart with love and compassion…”

 

     Chara clasped his hands together at his chest, a dreamy look on his face. He couldn’t wait to finally meet this girl. Once Sans got done with her, she’d be so mad at him for trying to correct her. He knew that she had a serious reprimanding coming her way. Oh ho, this day was just getting better and better…

 

…

 

     Frisk had just finished washing up her face when she heard the door behind her quietly close. She felt a chill run down her spine, her heart pounding. Oh no… He’d seen it all go down… She was in really big trouble now. Frisk hung her head low as she turned around to face him, her quivering hands clasping together nervously.

     “… I guess you saw it…” she mumbled.

     “Frisk, look at me please.” Sans did not sound happy.

     “… I really don’t want to…”

     “Frisk.”

     The girl slowly looked up, her face painted with fear. “… Sans…”

     The skeleton’s eye sockets were hollow, no trace of remorse in them. His pupils were missing. Oh no… He was really mad. The scowl said it all. “…”

     “… Can I at least tell you what happened?” Frisk asked quietly.

     “Explain.” Sans crossed his arms over his chest. “You’ve got one minute.”

     “I was sitting on the steps, minding my own business. I happened to see that boy’s sister and I thought she was cute. Then, he showed up and told me I was being creepy and that I was whore because of my clothes and a hoe… I slapped him across the face, and then he came at me and we both went down.” Frisk slapped her hands at the sides of her legs. “He started it, Sans. He called me a bunch of mean names that were clearly offensive.”

     “Does that give you the right to just up and slap him like that? Did he throw the first punch at you?” Sans challenged.

     “Sans, he—”

     “Frisk, did he throw the first punch at you or even touch you? Just because he called you names, does that give you a free pass to hit him?”

     “But… He…”

     A low grow rumbled within Sans’ chest.

     “No… He didn’t…” Frisk looked down at the floor, the tears welling in her eyes once more.

     “Look at me, Frisk.”

     Frisk did as she was told.

     “Stop crying. Right now.”

     Frisk wiped away her tears.

     “He didn’t lay a hand on you. That doesn’t give you the right to throw the first punch. Now, if he _had_ put a hand on you, then you would get off scot-free because you would be considered defending yourself. However, you threw the first punch. He didn’t touch you until after you hit him. Therefore, you’re the one who sparked the fight.”

     “But… He made me do it! He started it!”

     “No, he only called you names. You could’ve walked away. You have control over your own actions. You could’ve chosen to ignore him and walk away.”

     “I didn’t want him to think I was a coward!”

     “Frisk, you know better…” Sans took a few steps closer, the skeleton towering threateningly over her now. “You were in the wrong in terms of the physical confrontation.”

     Frisk crossed her arms as she looked back down. “It’s not fair! He was being crude to me first!”

     “His parents will see to it that he apologizes I’m sure. As for you, you need to apologize for your actions as well.”

     “… I’m not taking all that back! He called me a whore and a hoe! He even told me to burn in Hell for all my supposed sins!”

     Sans leaned down to eye-level with Frisk, a dark shadow casting over his face. “You feel those sins crawling up your back, don’t you?” His tone was darker than usual, each word like individual knives stabbing into Frisk’s heart.

     “… Um…” Frisk nervously backed into the wall, her hands pressing to it as Sans drew closer.

     “You know you did wrong… You’d better fix it…” Sans’ eye sockets narrowed. “… or else you’re going to have a _bad time...”_

     Frisk’s lips quivered as she frantically nodded, her eyes wide. “… O-okay… I’ll… go do that right now!”

 

     Frisk shot past Sans and out the door like a fire had been lit beneath her rear. She ran as quick as lightning out the front door and raced over to the family. The couple was shocked to see her so suddenly. Frisk hurriedly apologized for her behavior, and so the couple then instructed their son to apologize for his actions. He didn’t look happy at all, rather he was angry but didn’t utter a complaint as he told Frisk how sorry he claimed he was for all he said and for hitting her.

     Once all was said and done, Frisk watched the mother and son head back inside as the father went to work on moving more furniture in. Frisk turned around and went back to her cabin. Sans was waiting for her in the living room.

     “… They accepted my apology… Sans…” Frisk mumbled.

     “Good,” Sans said.

     Frisk squeaked and huddled in the corner of the room as Sans approached her. She shivered as she felt his hand run through her hair. “… I-I am really sorry… P-P-Please… don’t be… m-mad… at me…” She had never seen Sans so angry before. It was frightening.

     “Frisk…” Sans knelt down before her. “You really need to control your temper. Okay? If someone tells you something you don’t like, walk away. If they try to hurt you, you defend yourself while looking for a way of escape. Got it?”

     “Yeah…”

     “Alright…”

     “Sans… Are you… Do… you… hate me?”

     “Huh? No. Why would I hate you?”

     Frisk looked at him with tear-filled eyes. “You’ve never been that angry with me before…”

     “Frisk…” Sans reached over and gently wiped away one of her tears with his bony thumb. “I don’t hate you… I could never hate you.”

     “… But… you looked so angry…”

     “That was just to scare you straight.” Sans winked at her. “I would assume it worked… unless it didn’t and I need to up my game.”

     “N-N-N-No no no! It worked! It worked!” Frisk cried out, her eyes wide with fear.

     “Good. I’m glad.” Sans smiled. “Looks like my work here for this portion is done.”

     “Huh?”

     “Hah… C’mon Frisk, let’s go for a walk. We need to talk a little more.”

     “Oh… Okay…”

 

     Frisk took Sans by the hand, her eyes squeezing shut as she felt the floor being pulled from under her. Next thing she knew, she was standing in the forest by the pond she almost fell into when she was little. She looked around curiously and then up at Sans, who began walking. Frisk followed right beside him.

     “… Frisk, this world is full of cruelty,” Sans said. “In this world, it’s kill or be killed… in more ways than one.”

     “What are you talking about? Killing is something that happens one way,” Frisk said.

     “There are many ways to kill someone Frisk, whether it is through crushing one’s spirit or destroying something one cares about. You know the expression ‘die inside’, right?”

     “Yeah…”

     “Well… Think about that for a moment.”

     Frisk looked up at him questioningly. “I don’t understand…”

     “Frisk… Earlier, I felt your spirit… You died inside…”

     “I… did?”

     “The guilt… and then the fear… You didn’t feel all of that?”

     “Of course I did, I… Oh…” Frisk nodded as she finally grasped the concept. “… I see… I’m not usually like that… I became a different person… an ugly person…”

     “Exactly… Hate changes people… It kills one slowly, its infection spreading throughout his or her veins, resulting in agonizing pain and suffering…”

     “… Like the monsters?”

     “Yes… Like the monsters… I didn’t want to see that happen to you…”

     Frisk expressed a look of sadness. “I see…”

     Sans looked back down at her. “… I don’t want you to hurt others unless you truly have to. And, even then, it’s still not okay… It’s never okay to hurt someone…”

     “I understand…” Frisk mumbled.

     “There is a difference between right and wrong… a fine line that exists in a separate space from what is right and what is wrong… It’s a grey area… That difference goes both ways… At times, this choice is the right one to make, but it is the wrong way to handle the situation. Does that make sense?”

     “Actually, yeah… it does. Sometimes, you have the right to do something you’re not proud of… even though it feels wrong…” Frisk said.

     “Yes… Exactly right…”

     “The difference between right and wrong… I see what you mean now.” Frisk smiled up at the skeleton. “Thanks Sans… for teaching me this lesson…”

     “Of course…” Sans smiled back down at her. “That’s why I’m here.”

 

…

 

     Chara watched the skeleton and the human from his place upon the tree. He was standing just above them, a scowl on his face. Man… He totally destroyed the chance for her to get mad at him! She was always listening to that big ol’ brute.

     “God, seriously?” he grumbled. “So not fair…”

     “… Huh? Sans, did you hear something?” The girl, Frisk, was looking around now.

     Chara clapped a hand over his mouth. Shoot! She’d heard him!

     “What? Did you hear something?” Sans asked.

     Chara gulped down a nervous lump in his throat as Sans began looking around. He had a look of concentration on his face. Uh oh… Crap! He was looking up toward the trees now!

     “Uh… Frisk… I think we should go now…” Sans said.

     “What? Why?” Frisk asked as Sans roughly turned her around.

     “No reason… Just, uh… Crap!”

     “What!?”

     “I totally forgot! I had something cooking in the oven!”

     “What… Really!?”

     “Yes! C’mon!”

 

     Chara gave a sigh of immense relief as Sans hurriedly teleported out of sight, taking Frisk with him. Good, he hadn’t blown his cover. Just in time…

     “Geez… That was close…” Chara whispered. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to cover himself, but at least Sans didn’t give him away. Sans… “Ugh… so gross and sappy… Man, skelly… You totally ruin the fun for me. I wanted to be the shoulder for her to cry on after she got all moody with you… But instead, you turn it all around… What a waste, man… Hmph…”

     Chara sighed with defeat. Well, his chances to meet that girl were in vain for today. Perhaps another day…

 

…

 

     “Sans? Are you okay?” Frisk asked.

     “Yeah… Sorry…” Sans, despite being a skeleton, was sweating bullets.

 

     God, that was way too close. That little demon brat… He was nearby. Luckily, Sans was able to catch him before he could jump out. That wasn’t the only line of luck that Sans had, though. Man, to think that those loaves of bread could’ve burned…

     “Are they okay?” Frisk asked.

     “Yeah… Thank goodness,” Sans said. “I was so busy trying to keep an eye on you, I totally forgot about the bread that I was making for Miss Condrake!”

     “Haha! Good thing you remembered when you did!”

     “Yeah, haha!” Sans muttered a curse to Chara under his breath. That stupid demon’s shenanigans somehow reminded him that he really did have something cooking. They were so close to burning… God… “So… stupid…” Sans slapped a hand to his forehead. “God… Stupid Chara…”

     “Chara?”

     Sans froze. Uh oh…

     “What’s a Chara?”

     “Uh…” Crap… Think of something, you dope!

     “Sans… Are you okay?

 

…

 

     Frisk gave Sans a concerned look, to which the skeleton responded with a hurried excuse to check on the bread. Sans tripped over himself as he stumbled into the kitchen. What was with him? Was he okay?

     “… Um… Sans?” Frisk got up from the couch and approached the kitchen doorway.

     “Sorry… Yep, the bread’s all good! Ha ha!” Sans called.

     “What’s going on?”

     “… Ugh, sorry.”

     “Why are you acting so weird all of a sudden? What’s going on?”

     “It’s nothing…”

     “Sans…”

 

     Frisk was around the corner now. Sans looked troubled about something. Frisk slowly stepped closer to him and tapped his arm, the skeleton jolting in surprise. He looked over and down at the human, a nervous expression on his face.

     “Sans… C’mon… Please… Talk to me…” Frisk said.

     “Frisk… I’m sorry…” Sans mumbled.

     “What are you talking about?”

     “I… Uh…”

     “Let me guess… You can’t tell me yet, can you? Does it have something to do with the monsters?”

     Sans looked away at that comment.  
Frisk’s head hung low. “… Why… Why can’t you… tell me…?”

     “Frisk…”

     Frisk looked back up. “It’s not fair… I’ve known you this long… Can’t you just tell me something?”

     “… Hah… Frisk, look… It’s not that easy…” Sans rubbed a skeletal hand at the back of his skull. “I’m sorry… I really don’t like keeping things from you…”

     “You don’t?”

     “No, of course not.”

     “I’m old enough to understand… I can… I can take it…”

     “… Sweetheart.” Sans knelt down in front of Frisk, his large hands reaching over to place themselves on both of her shoulders. “There’s a lot going on right now… more than you can take in right now. I promise, when the time comes, I can tell you everything…”

     “You always say that…”

     “Trust me… Okay?”

     “Sometimes, you really worry me… Are you sure you’re okay?”

     “I’m fine.” Sans smiled. “Trust me.”  
“Okay…”

 

     Frisk sighed as Sans leaned in to give her a hug. She silently rested her chin upon his shoulder, her little arms sliding up over Sans’ shoulders and wrapping around his neck. She would be the good girl she was meant to be. As long as she was patient, Sans would come around eventually.

 

…

 

     “… I see… So, you really don’t want to tell her anything huh?” Chara was sitting on top of the roof. “You do realize that one day, she will find out the truth… Such a pure little angel she is… I hope you know that I will do whatever it takes to keep her out of harm’s way… She is special… I can feel it… Ah.”

 

     Chara’s head swerved in surprise as he heard the front door open. Frisk was stepping out now, Sans beside her. He observed her, only her, as they both proceeded down the steps. She looked adorable in that crooked shirt of hers. It made her look that much smaller.  
“Hehe… What a cutie…” he whispered.

 

…

 

     “Sans… You’ll tell me someday, right?” Frisk asked.

     “I will… Soon…” Sans said.

     Frisk looked down at the plastic tub of bread in her hands. “… Alright…”

     “Okay… You ready for me to teleport you back?”

     “Actually, I think I’d like to walk home.”

     “Oh… Okay.”

     “Sorry… I just… I really want to spend as much time with you as possible before I get back to the village.”

     “Heh, that’s okay.”

 

     Frisk didn’t say another word as they walked. Sans knew that he’d hurt the trust between them some, but it would recover. Frisk wanted to know everything, but she wasn’t ready for that yet. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her everything yet. After all… he was just as much a part of it as the rest of the monsters. He didn’t want her to be upset with him… and what he did in the past… He was afraid that she’d… think of him… as something awful…

     Someday, he’d tell her. But, it couldn’t be now. There was too much on his plate right now. Plus… Sans looked back over his shoulder. Someone was listening in… He was sure he was going to be there when he got back…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Such a much longer chapter, I’m sorry! TT A TT I wound up rewriting a huge portion of this because it just… UGH!!!!!!!!!  
> Oh boy, I wonder what’s going to happen next? : D
> 
> Did you guys notice the twist that I added for this chapter’s name and the meaning of it? I had Frisk explain it in plain terms for those who didn’t get it. .//////. I tried to think outside of the box a little bit. I hope I did good. Also, I apologize for the cruel stuff at the beginning. I didn’t want to make a sissy fight scene (I’m not good at insults and crap; I’m too nice TT w TT).
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 8: Confrontation  
> A little preview: Sans returns to his cabin after dropping Frisk at the village. The sun is just starting to set, signifying that the end of the day is near. Unfortunately, the skeleton won’t get the chance to rest just yet. He still has a little stalker to tend to…
> 
>  
> 
> Give me a T! Give me a U! Give me an M! Give me a B! Give me an L! Give me an R! What does that spell? The place I no longer visit.
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART


	8. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The skeleton and demon finally interact...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 8… More mystery to be presented before you all… yes. Chara and Sans finally confront one another. YEY. Get ready for some humor and a very angry skeleton. X D Sans, I’m sorry for putting you through this torture…
> 
> Oh my goodness… Eight chapters in a row… O////x////O That’s FAR too many… 
> 
> Previously: Frisk gets involved in a fight with a village boy, resulting in a harsh talk with Sans that actually winds up turning scary. However, things work out and she understands what she did wrong. Afterwards, Sans takes her out for a little walk in order to teach her about the true difference between right and wrong. While they are talking, Chara shows up and finally makes himself known to Frisk. Yeah… He comes off as creepy to her. Luckily, he leaves without much difficulty.

     Sans had just returned from dropping Frisk off at the village when there was a soft knock at the door. He gave a sigh as he got up and went over to answer it. As he approached, he felt his chest grow tight. He knew then who was on the other side of that door. He wasn’t looking forward to this confrontation... That little bastard had been watching her for a while now. It was time to talk about this. The occasional sightseeing was fine, but stalking? That was too far.

     “You gonna let me in or do I have to perform ‘force of entry’?” the little demon brat asked.

     “No… I’m coming. You better not try anything, or else your ass is dead meat,” Sans grumbled as he opened the door.

     Chara stood innocently outside, his hands behind his back as he rocked back on his heels. He was smiling mischievously. “Whaaaaaaaat? I’m not gonna try anything.”

     Sans glowered down at the demon. “Uh huh… Sure you aren’t.”

     Chara revealed his pearly white teeth, his pair of fangs glinting in the late afternoon sunlight. He blinked his crimson eyes several times. “Hehe…”

     “What do you want?”

     “Oh, nothing! I just came to exchange pleasantries, that’s all!”

     “Yeah right, tell me the real reason or I’ll have your head as a new decoration mounted upon my wall.”

     “Alright… Well, I came to speak with you about little ol’ Frisky-poo.”

     “’Frisky-poo’?”

     “Yeah, it’s a cute little nickname for my angel. Ya like?”

     “First of all, she’s not your ‘angel’. Second of all, what do you want with her? I’m well aware that you’ve been stalkin’ her.”

     “Yeah well… I’ve got a reason for that… You know that they’ll find out… and when they do…” Chara’s smile faded, his eyes narrowing as a dark shadow fell over his face. “…they will kill her.”

     Sans stiffened. “… Come in…”

 

     Chara nodded and stepped in as the skeleton shuffled off to the side. Sans motioned for the demon to have a seat upon the couch. As he did so, the skeleton offered the demon a beverage. Chara declined, and so Sans went over and sat down beside him.

     “… So… you’re aware of her power too, huh?” Sans asked.

     “Yeah, I am…” Chara said. “I got a taste when I first saw her…”

     “A taste?” Sans’ pupils faded as his brow bone furrowed.

     “Oh… Would you be mad if I did have a taste like… that?” Chara smiled slyly. “Oh ho! Sansy is very protective of his little human girl!”

     “You better not have… or else…”

     “Relax, I’m not plannin’ to punch a hole in her v-card.”

     “You better not be…”

     “I’m not. Geez, what a pervy skeleton you are.”

     “I’M NOT THE PERV HERE! YOU ARE!”

     “Oh my, me thinks somebody gots a little bit o’ temper.”

     “GAH!!!!” Sans stomped his foot. “JUST TALK TO ME, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!”

     “Now is that the way to treat your guest? Is it?”

     Sans’ left eye socket twitched along with the left corner of his mouth. He looked like he was about ready to strangle Chara.

     “Relax, old timer. Man, you sure are fun to play around with. Anyway… on to the serious stuff now…” Chara straightened up, his hands pressing to his legs as he returned to being professional. “The monsters are growing more and more restless, Sans… They want to tear that village apart for everything it’s got.”

     Sans shook his skull as his pupils returned to occupy his eye sockets. “I know that, that’s why I’m trying to convince them not to.”

     “They’re not going to listen. Don’t you get it? They hate the humans…” Chara clutched at the fabric of his overalls. “It’s too late…”

     “No, it’s not.”

     “He believes it is… By the way, when are you going to visit? Papyrus misses you, ya know.”

     Sans stiffened. Papyrus…”Brother…”

     “Yeah… I miss my brother too, ya know…” Chara looked away. “… Asriel…”

 

     Awkward silence fell over the pair. Papyrus… Sans missed him so much… He was too afraid to abandon the other monsters. He wanted to stay by their side, support them, their master too… Father…  
Sans was forced to choose between both himself and his family, and he chose himself. He couldn’t bear the madness anymore, the hatred that had taken over his people. And so, he left. He just couldn’t do it anymore…

     “I know how you feel… fighting the darkness within you,” Chara said. “I possess darkness, too… I encountered it again just the other day.”

     “You mean… It came back?” Sans asked.

     “Yeah… It thinks that it’s Asriel now… It’s not…”

     “You see it, too…”

     “That damned flower… It’s my worst nightmare. It’s like a wound that will never heal no matter how much I treat it…”

     Sans looked over at the demon in surprise. He’d never seen him like this before. This was a totally different side of him. It was strange. He eyed Chara’s leg, which was now jittering nervously, the toe of his sneaker pressed to the floor. Why was he so jittery?  
Sans focused on his soul… It was troubled. He could feel anxiety, stress, hesitation, depression, all rolled up into one. This demon sure was hard to figure out at times, but it didn’t take anything for Sans to realize that something was bothering him.

     “Your master is looking for you,” Chara said suddenly. “He says he needs to see you. He wants you back… Papyrus does, too.”

     “I can’t go back there, not back to those heathens,” Sans muttered.

     “Are you just going to abandon your family then?” Chara challenged.

     “No, of course not.”

     “So, return to them then!” Chara suddenly sprang to his feet. “Just go see them, you big boneheaded dope!”

     Sans appeared taken aback by Chara’s sudden outburst. Never in his life had he seen Chara act this way. “Dude… Chill…”

     “I can’t… ‘chill’,” Chara hissed, the last word accompanied with air quotes motioned by his fingers. “I’m not going to chill until your dumb ass gets back to your damn family! On top of that, you need to figure out what to do with Frisk before they come after her!”

     “You’re really pushin’ your boundaries, kid…” Sans’ pupils had faded again. “You really don’t want to do that…”

     Chara glared at the skeleton. “You don’t want to try and push me either, skeleton… I am a force to be reckoned with.”

     “Look, you can’t just come barging in here and demanding me around. That’s not how this works.”

     “Sans… They will kill her. You know that, right? If you’re not going to do something about it… then maybe I should…”

     Sans’ eye sockets widened. “Oh ho no! You ain’t formin’ no contract with her!”

     Chara smiled sadly. “I kind of already did…”

     “You did what!?” Sans was standing now, the skeleton towering over the demon.

     “… I did… Her soul… Sans… I’m attracted to it…”

     “Did you… _bond_ with her?”

     “Not necessarily… I was close, though… So, I pulled back… I’m not going to go back on my word to you…”

     Sans’ pupils returned again. “… You…”

     “Sans… You told me to keep her as far from the truth as possible, even before I ever laid eyes on her… At first, I didn’t know who you were talking about. Then, when I found out, it all became clear. She means a lot to you… I won’t go back on my word to you… That was our deal, right?”

     Sans lowered his skull. “She…”

     “She’s been asking a lot about our lives lately, huh?” Chara continued. “She wants to know…”

     “You started looking for her only because I mentioned her…”

     “Not necessarily… I already knew that someone in that village was special… I just didn’t know who… You simply narrowed it down for me, is all.”

“…”

 

     Sans muttered a curse under his breath as Chara plopped back down upon the couch. He looked up at the skeleton, his cocky smirk having returned. Sans glared down at the demon, his incisors now grinding painfully together.

     “… So, what now then? Huh? They’ll find out sooner or later,” Chara said. “You’d better think of something… and fast.”

     “She doesn’t need to know anything…” Sans muttered.

     “Just you wait… She’ll figure it out… Hah…” Chara stretched out his arms and legs. “Well, I have to go. I have errands to run.”

     “Psh, really?”

     “Yeah.” Chara leapt from the couch to the door. “Alright, I’m off. Toodles.”

 

     Sans growled at the demon as he disappeared. Chara… He was planning something. Sans could feel it. He just… didn’t know what… and that scared him greatly.

 

…

 

     Frisk gave a sigh as she sat down on her bed. It had been a very tiring day, and yet it went by so quickly. It must’ve been because of that fight she had with that boy earlier today. It was in the afternoon when the event occurred. It was evening now.

     “… It’s that late already,” Frisk mumbled.

     “Hah…”

*knock knock*

     “Coming!” Frisk called.

 

     Frisk hurried out of her bedroom and came running through her living room. She slid to a halt at the front door, her hand clasping around the doorknob. After taking a few moments to catch her breath, she opened the door and was, to her surprise, greeted by Miss Condrake.

     “Hello Frisk,” Miss Condrake said.

     “Hi, uh… Is there something wrong with the bread?” Frisk asked.

     “No, it’s delicious. I actually had an important question to ask of you. Would it be alright if I came in for a moment?”

     “Of course! Please…” Frisk motioned for the elderly woman to step inside.

     “Thank you.”

 

     Frisk smiled as Miss Condrake carefully walked into the room, her wrinkled hand quickly reaching for the arm of the couch. Frisk gently grabbed a hold of her so as to provide support. Together, the two maneuvered over to the couch, Miss Condrake sitting down slowly while Frisk came around to sit beside her.

     “So, what is it?” Frisk asked once she saw Miss Condrake was situated.

     “Well, dear, I wanted to ask you how Sans was doing,” she said. “He sure looked upset earlier today.”

     “Don’t worry, I took care of that. Sans helped me realize how wrong I was in attacking that boy. He didn’t lay a hand on me until after I’d thrown a punch at him. Therefore, I was in the wrong as well.”

     “That is true.”

     “I just… I got mad because he just showed up out of nowhere and started insulting me. It was horrible.”

     “I understand how you feel. Thankfully, his parents know how to handle unruly ones like himself. You won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

     “I hope not…”

     “Anyway, moving on to Sans… How is he?”

     “He won’t tell me anything… I’ve been asking and asking… but he still won’t talk to me…”

     “You mean, about the monsters…”

     “I really want to know… but he won’t… he won’t tell me… Miss Condrake, I’m worried about him. He’s keeping a lot from me.”

     “I was afraid you were going to say that…”

     “Why? Do you know, too?”

     “Well…”

     “God… You do…”

     “Frisk, it’s not what you think.”

     “I don’t get it. I mean, I know about the war. The monsters were sealed underground, but they somehow got out… I just don’t know… how they did. He seems hesitant to tell me how.”

     “It’s complicated. It’d be best for him to explain when he’s ready. You see… He’s got a lot on his mind right now. He’s got family up there. You know that, right?”

     “Yes.”

     “His family misses him… He chose to leave because he couldn’t handle being around all of that hatred. His brother and creator couldn’t bring themselves to leave their people behind, so Sans left on his own…”

     “That must’ve been difficult, I’m sure…”

     “It was.”

 

     Frisk looked down at her hands, both of which were in her lap. Sans was going through so much right now. Maybe she should give him some space, do her best to stay out of trouble. Frisk’s face grew hot at that second thought. Why did she have to be arrogant?

     “Just try to do better; set a good example for the little ones,” Miss Condrake said. “You can do it if you try.”

     “Sans is always worrying over me… I need to do better… I don’t want to be a burden on him,” Frisk mumbled.

     “Oh, dear, he would never consider you a burden…” Miss Condrake put a hand over Frisk’s. “He loves you very much… You’re like a daughter to him.”

     Frisk looked over at Miss Condrake and smiled. “Thanks.”

     “Of course, sweetie.”

 

     Frisk leaned over and hugged Miss Condrake, who giggled as she happily hugged Frisk back. Frisk was grateful to have Miss Condrake in her life. She always knew how to make things better when Sans couldn’t. Sometimes, it seemed easier to talk to her because she was more open than Sans.

     “He’ll come around eventually and share his troubles with you. You just have to be patient with him,” Miss Condrake said.

     “Yeah… You’re right,” Frisk said.

     “Good. I’m glad we understand each other. Alright… Well, I better get home. My shows are coming on shortly.”

     “I’ll walk with you so that you’ve got some support.”

     “That’s very generous of you, Frisk. Thank you.”

 

     Frisk generously held out a hand for Miss Condrake to take as she stood up, the old woman gratefully taking it. The pair continued to chat idly with one another as they walked out of the cabin together…

 

…

 

     Chara watched Frisk and the old woman walk down the way to the latter’s cabin. He had been listening in on their conversation the entire time. So, Frisk still had some troubles… They had to deal with Sans… _Perfect._

     “Looks like my chance is coming… very, very soon…” Chara whispered. “Finally… I get to see who you really are… But first, I need to make an introduction… Hehehehehe… Just you wait, my little angel… Your demon is coming for you… He can’t wait to meet you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, this concludes Chapter 8.Things don’t seem like they’re heating up to some of you, and to others it feels like it is. Trust me, we’re only scratching the surface…  
> OMG, I have a problem. I got literally wrote out these first eight (originally nine) chapters in only a small handful of days. O_O WUT? That is bonkers… but still super cool! : D I’m so happy that I got my writing groove back! Well, for Undertale. X D LOL, this is, like, the only fanfic I’ve been working on for the past… five days, I wanna say… It’s crazy, but I really am glad that I’m writing like this. That proves how dedicated I am to it. Yay!  
> I think I’m going to go ahead and stop here, let you all look back and think about what’s going on so far. I gotta give you guys some time to catch up. X D LMFAO, as I’m saying this, I’m writing out more chapters. I really do have a problem…
> 
>  
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 9: The Angel Meets the Demon
> 
> A little preview: Frisk decides to take a little walk through the forest… Little does she know that her stalker is watching… He’s been waiting all this time…
> 
>  
> 
> Le bleh HollowArtist001 at DA.


	9. The Angel Meets the Demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, I’m back! I’m finally back with another chapter! : D I hope that you’ve been keeping up with updates on my Tumblr. I’m so sorry that I hadn’t gotten any new chapters for a while. : ( I hope you can forgive me.
> 
> Okay, well, I’m gonna stop blabbering and let you all get on with the reading. 
> 
>  
> 
> Previously: Chara confronts Sans about Frisk being left in the dark about the past. Also, he tells him how Sans’ brother misses him. Sans is very aggressive toward Chara, especially since the little demon acts very suspicious around him. Meanwhile, Frisk is frustrated with Sans not telling her anything. Miss Condrake then shows up and reassures her that, when the time is right, he’ll open up to her. Frisk is grateful of this advice.

     Frisk gave a sigh as she stood before the forest. The village was extremely quiet, everyone else going about their daily business as usual. Miss Condrake was out for the day, and so Frisk decided to go and take a walk. Maybe she’d run into Sans, and if she did then she would simply ask how he was doing. She had grown worried about him due to his secretive nature, but thanks to her talk with Miss Condrake yesterday she now understood that she just needed to be patient with him.

     “Oh skelly… I hope you’re okay,” she whispered. “Maybe he’s home right now… I know he’ll be unhappy that I showed up unannounced, but I’m really worried about him…” Frisk sighed as she looked down at her bare feet. “Yeah, he’ll definitely be pissed that I’m barefoot, but I don’t care. It’ll be fine. I’ll be careful.”

 

     Frisk felt terrible after learning about Sans and how he had to abandon his family in order to try and make peace with the humans. He was sacrificing so much… and it all for her. Miss Condrake said that he thought of Frisk as a daughter… She’d never really known that, though she did see him as a sort of father figure.

     Frisk had thought long and hard about this last night. She wanted to do whatever she could to help him, even if it wasn’t much. Sans probably had a lot on his mind, so maybe he could use someone to talk to… It didn’t have to be about important things. It could just be about the weather or something he likes, such as baking. Frisk wanted him to know that she was there and that she really did want to help him. And so, that’s why she was heading out this early in the morning. It was just after nine in the morning, so Sans was bound to be up by now.

     “I’ll say that I wanted to stop by and see how he was doing, and ask if he would like some company. If he says yes, then I’ll happily oblige and ask how his morning is and then go from there. If he says no, then I’ll tell him that he’s welcome to come see me and that I’ll be waiting back at my place. I’ll also tell him that I’m a bit worried about him and just wanted to see if he was okay. Yeah, that should work. Alright then…” Frisk nodded to herself. “Yeah… That’ll work just fine.”

 

     Frisk nodded to herself before sleeking into the trees. She trembled as the branches of a low-standing tree lightly scratched at her legs. She nervously tugged at her shorts in an attempt to protect her skin, but to no avail. She gave another sigh, this one in defeat, as she did her best to fight her way through the upcoming branches and bushes.

     It was oddly quiet today, not just in the village. She felt that she was totally alone. Not even the sound of birds chirping could be heard. It was like nature decided to take a nap or something. Frisk made a confused face as she looked around. Why was it so quiet?

 

…

 

     “Ah… She’s here…” Chara stood atop one of the trees, his crimson eyes glowing in the shade. “My little angel really does have the voice of such, doesn’t she? She really knows how to carry a tune… Hmm…”

 

     Chara leapt down from the tree, landing quietly so as not to alert the girl. This was his chance. That skeleton was nowhere around. It was just him and her. And so, with a flick of his wrist and a sly smile, Chara’s magic immediately took effect…

 

…

 

     Frisk hummed a little tune to herself as she continued to walk, this action granting her some comfort as she approached a clearing. Sans’ cabin was just up ahead now… Frisk gave a confused look as she came to stand in the clearing, however Sans’ cabin was nowhere to be found. Did she make a wrong turn somewhere?

     Frisk turned around and went back a little ways, a nervous knot forming in her stomach as she somehow found herself walking right back into the clearing, only from the other side. What was going on here? Frisk turned around and tried to run… only to wind up back at the clearing once more.

     “What… What!? Sans!?” Frisk looked around, terrified. Was this some kind of prank or something? “It’s not funny! Come on out, Sans! If you’re trying to teach me a lesson, it’s not working!”

     “He he…”

     “Ah!” Frisk gasped when she heard a sound.

     “Hehehe…”

     Frisk felt a chill run down her spine. “Hello? Who’s there?”

*rustle*

     “Ah… So, the angel meets the demon… at long last…”

     “Huh…? Sans? Is that you?” Frisk asked. “C’mon… This really isn’t funny…” Frisk was beginning to feel more and more uneasy. “Please… Come out…”

     “You can try to escape, my little angel, but you won’t be successful…”

 

     Frisk backed into the trees as she heard that frightening voice. It sounded so close. She tried to run, but she always wound up back in the clearing. Now fearing for her life, she called out to Sans. There was no answer. She pleaded for him to stop this, but all she got was another giggle.

     “Sans! Please! Stop!” Frisk called.

     “It’s not him… Hehe…”

     “Show yourself then!”

     “Okay…”

 

     Frisk glared at the forming shadow suddenly whisking toward her. Sans… This was no—

     Frisk cried out as she was suddenly faced nose to nose with… a boy? He was floating in midair, his short brown hair gliding along his shoulders as he gave her a big grin. His bright crimson eyes locked with Frisk’s, the girl now plopped down on the ground from shock. She sat there, shivering, as the boy lightly landed on the toe of his red sneaker. He rubbed a hand up and down his black overalls before placing his hands on his hips, his cocky smile wavering a bit to reveal a pair of fangs.

     “Hiya Frisk, what’s up?” the boy asked cheerfully.

     “… Ah… Ah…” Frisk’s mouth remained opened, her eyes scanning over the boy’s appearance. “Ah…”

     “The name’s Chara, not what you’re sayin’. Anywhosit, how ya doin’?”

     “… Wha…” Frisk slowly got to her feet. “Ah… Uh…” She took a step back. “Who… Who are… you?”

     “Ha ha… I just told you. It’s Chara.”  
Frisk took another step back. “I… I don’t know who you are… but…” Why was Frisk feeling so easy about this boy? Something wasn’t right here… “I’m sorry, I have to go. I’m looking for a friend, so…” Frisk gasped when she turned around…

     “Leaving so soon?” the boy asked. He was standing in front of her. How did he…?

     “What!? How did you get from… here… to here?” Frisk stammered.

     “That’s not important. What is important is that we finally get to talk.” Chara flashed her another smile. “Let’s talk.”

     “Wah!” Frisk yelped as she was suddenly yanked to the ground by an unseen force. She scrambled back to her feet and attempted to run. “Sans!”

     “Ziiiiiiiiip!” Chara whispered cheerily.

     “Sans, hel—“

 

     Frisk gasped as she felt her lips suddenly press tightly together against her will. She immediately plopped to the ground, her limbs completely numb as she fell onto her back .It was like she was a marionette and her strings had been cut from her controller.  
She shivered as the boy slowly approached her limp form, the frightening figure coming to stand over her. She gave a muffled squeal as she felt her arms press to the ground at either side of her head, her legs slipping out from behind her rear and resting comfortably against the ground.

     “I didn’t want to have to do this, but I can’t have you alerting that skeleton…” Chara lowered himself down to the ground, his knees now hugging Frisk’s sides. He gently grasped her wrists, his thumbs kneading into her palms.

     Frisk whimpered weakly with fear. She couldn’t move nor speak. No one knew she was even here.

     “Don’t be afraid… I mean you no harm…” Chara whispered. “I just wanted to talk to you… Don’t be scared… Ssshh…” Chara’s right hand glided down from her wrist to her forearm. “Your skin is so soft… just like I remember that first time.”

 

     Frisk watched with fearful eyes as Chara’s hand slid down her arm to her shoulder. It sleeked over to her throat before moving down to her furiously beating chest, but it didn’t stop there. It kept going, sliding all the way down until it reached the front of her waist. She shivered as she felt the bottom of her tank top slowly slide up just a bit, Chara’s chilling fingertips grazing over her bare skin.

     “Your skin is as smooth as silk… as white as milk,” Chara whispered. He snickered as he watched Frisk look away, her face burying into her bare arm. “Don’t be so antsy… C’mon… Your beauty is something to be cherished, right?”

     Frisk gasped as she felt a harsh jab to the lower abdomen. She weakly raised her head to see his hand slowly kneading into her belly. Her tank top was pulled farther up now, making her even more nervous.

     “You’re so tiny… but a bit pudgy,” Chara said. He gently pinched a portion of her exposed skin, prompting her to jolt in surprise. “Oh… You seem sensitive…”

     Frisk tried to cry out for help once more, but it was no use. Her lips refused to part and allow her words to escape.

     Chara giggled as he circled a finger around the tiny crevice within her quivering belly. “That’s not gonna work, my little angel. No one can hear you. I can do whatever I want with you…”

     Frisk whimpered as she looked away again, her eyes squeezing shut as she felt the boy’s breath on her cheek. His lips were cool against her skin. They were so soft.

     “If you behave yourself and don’t scream, I’ll let you go…” he whispered. “If not… then perhaps I can more convincing…” He gave a small jab to her navel, prompting the girl to wince with surprise. “How about it? Hmm?”

     Frisk nodded slowly.

     “If those loose lips of yours start flyin’ again, then they’ll get sealed again.” Chara waved a hand, and suddenly Frisk’s lips parted.

     “Ow…” Frisk mumbled.

     “I’m sorry, are you uncomfortable?”

     “… Kind of…”

     “You don’t have to be afraid, my little angel… Trust me…” Chara gave a Cheshire-like smile.

     “… Please don’t hurt me…” Frisk pleaded quietly.

     “I told you already that I mean you no harm.”

     “Who are you? I’ve never seen you before… You look like a normal boy… but you’re obviously not.”

     “Nope, I’m a demon!”

     “… De… Demon!?”

     “Oh, not the kind of demon you’re thinking of…”

     “Um…”

 

     A wave of relief washed over Frisk as she felt the feeling return to her body. Unfortunately, she was afraid to move. Chara told her it was fine, but Frisk was too petrified to do anything. Chara gave a laugh as he crawled off of her and offered a hand. Frisk gingerly took it, the girl sliding up onto her rear. She quickly crossed her legs shortly after so as to hide her feet in embarrassment.

     “… It’s okay, I won’t do anything else to you… so long as you cooperate,” Chara said, his eyes narrowing. His smile looked more evil now.

     “… I promise…” Frisk said quietly as she looked down at her lap, her shaking hands fumbling with each other.

     “I’m sorry for frightening you. See, I’ve been watching you for a while now… In fact, when we first met… you were lying there just how you were moments ago.” Chara suddenly appeared behind Frisk, his arms sliding around her waist.

     “Wha… Hey!” Frisk cried.

     “Sssshh… Relax…” Chara whispered, his chin resting upon her left shoulder. “It’s okay…”

     “Um…”

     “Just hold still for a moment…”

 

     Frisk squealed as Chara’s hand slid under her tank top. Her hands tried to grab at his wrists, but his free hand was faster. In a split second, both of her hands were pinned behind her. Her heart thundered fearfully within her chest as she felt his chilling fingertips graze up her lower abdomen, trail over her soft navel, and up her quivering torso. She felt his frozen palm press to her chest, his cool lips pecking at her neck as she arched her back inward in an attempt to get away.

     “Ngh…” Frisk moaned.

     “Don’t be afraid… my little angel…” Chara whispered. He chuckled darkly as he scratched a finger at her back.

     “… Please… stop…” Frisk croaked.

     “… Ssshh… I’m looking for something…”

 

…

 

     Chara closed his eyes as he searched for it, that warmth that he’d felt once before… There was something within this girl that attracted him, like a moth to a flame. There… He could feel it… Her chest… It felt so warm…

     “Ah… I see it…” Chara felt the euphoria building within him. “I can’t believe it…”

 

     In the darkness of his vision, there was a small crimson light floating just a ways from him. It looked like a miniature ball of fire. Chara tried to reach out and touch it, but it was too far away. She hadn’t activated it yet… He couldn’t interact with it. Disappointed, he relinquished control…

 

…

 

     Frisk hissed through her teeth as she felt a phantom pressure to her chest. It felt like something was squeezing her really tightly, and it hurt. She gave a harsh gasp when the pain suddenly melted away, her falling backwards into Chara’s arms. She was coated in a thin layer of sweat, the poor thing exhausted now. She took in heavy breaths as her eyes closed from drowsiness, her limp head resting against his collarbone.

     “I’m sorry…” he whispered. “I hope I didn’t hurt you…”

     “What… happened…?” she managed to ask.

     “Hush now… Just rest… I’ll take care of you…”

     “Wait… please…”

     “Until we meet again, my little angel…”

 

     Frisk quickly succumbed to her drowsiness, Chara’s whispering words muffled and distant…

  
…

  
…

  
…

  
…

  
…

  
…

 

     “…is… Fri…” A voice was calmly calling out to her. “…ri… …sk…”

     “… Uh… Huh…” Frisk’s eyes slowly cracked open. Her head felt fuzzy and lightheaded, and her vision was so blurry.

     “… Frisk… Can you hear me?” The voice was clearer now. It sounded like Sans. “Hey… If you can hear me… wake up…”

     “Sa… Sans…” Frisk weakly turned her head. “Uh…”

     “Sweetheart?” Sans was staring down at her, his porcelain orbs trembling within his eye sockets. “Hey… Can you hear me?”

     “… Sans…” Frisk tried to sit up, but slowly fell back down as Sans’ hand gently pressed to her chest.

     “No, no… You need to lie down, honey… Just stay put…”

     “What happened… to me?”

     “I found you lying unconscious in front of my house. You were resting at the top step. Are you okay?”

     “… I feel dizzy…” Frisk blinked her sore eyes a few times as she rested her arm against her forehead.

     “… Just stay put, okay? I’m gonna get you a blanket to cover up with.”

 

     Frisk gave a tired sigh as Sans left her alone. Taking a moment to gather herself, she realized she was lying on the couch in Sans’ living room. A soft pillow was supporting her head, it resting against the arm of the couch. She grunted as she scooted herself up slightly, her head now more propped against the pillow.

     “Here you go…” Sans had teleported back to her, his skeletal hands now draping the blanket over the child’s tired form while she lie there silently.

     “… Sans… I met someone…” Frisk rasped.

     “What do you mean kiddo?” Sans carefully sat down beside her, his hand caressing the side of her head as his thumb brushed her bangs aside.

     “… He… It was a he… A boy…” Frisk said. “… He… He said he was… something… He wasn’t… normal…”

     “I see… Did he have short, choppy brown hair? Red eyes and rosy cheeks? Pale, ivory skin?”

     “… Yeah…” Frisk gave Sans a confused look. “How did you…?”

     “Get some rest, kiddo… You need it.” Sans leaned down and pressed his bony mouth to her forehead. “… Ssshh… Go to sleep…”

     Frisk yawned as she closed her eyes. She was so tired… Her eyes… They couldn’t stay open… “Sans…”

     “Ssshh…” Sans gently stroked her bangs back. “We can talk later…”

 

…

 

     Sans was shocked to find Frisk lying at the top of the steps of his tree house. She was lying with her small hands resting against her chest. He thought the worst at first, but was then greatly relieved to see she was just sleeping. He had carried her inside and laid her down upon the couch. Shortly after, she’d come to. The poor thing was so out of it, and she seemed to be a little sweaty, nothing that a cool rag couldn’t take care of…

     “Oh kid…” he whispered as he observed her now sleeping form.

 

     Chara was behind this. Thankfully, she didn’t appear to be hurt. He couldn’t find any markings on her, nor did he pick up on anything strange. So, why…? What did that demon brat want with her? Unless… Sans felt a chill run down his spine as he felt something… He found himself looking down at her chest.

     “… That’s why…” He gave her a concerned look. “… Now I understand… He must be attracted to that… The monsters…” Sans looked away, his eye sockets squeezing shut as he made a pained face. “… I can’t let this… I can’t let her… No… I have to protect her somehow… I can’t… I don’t want this to fall apart… I have to protect her… They can’t have her… I won’t let them take her away… They’ll destroy her…” Sans thought back to Chara’s words… “He was right… all along…”

 

     Sans had to work hard to keep Frisk safe… but the only way he could do that was by… He gave a frustrated sigh as he got up from the couch. He had been backed into a corner. Already, he had lost his family. He gave them up just to try and find a way to keep the peace. He wasn’t about to lose this girl, too. He felt so alone until she came into his life. And now, he was at risk of losing her… He didn’t want that.

     “… Kid…” Sans looked over his shoulder at the sleeping girl upon his couch. “… I guess I… I can’t keep the secrets away much longer… This is Chara’s clear warning that he’s willing to spill the beans if I don’t…” Sans felt warm tears well in his eye sockets. “Please… don’t hate me… I didn’t mean for it all to happen… I tried to find a way to stop it… but I couldn’t… I’m so sorry…”

 

     Sans looked away from the human as his face fell in his hands. He felt so ashamed of himself for keeping everything from her. He couldn’t do this anymore… It was only going to cause a rift between them. He was so afraid… He felt trapped… He had to tell her. If he didn’t… she might… she might walk away from him… What if that was why she was out in the first place? Was she planning to tell him how upset she was?

     Panic washed over him. No… Sans couldn’t lose her… She was all he had left… He fell to his knees, the skeleton crying softly so as not to wake his precious Frisk. He didn’t want to lose her. He couldn’t bear that… It would tear him apart. He longed to reunite with his brother and his father… but because of the circumstances he couldn’t. And so, he had Frisk… but…

     “… I don’t want to lose her… I can’t…” Sans whispered. “I can’t…”

*knock knock*

     Sans quickly shot up to his feet as he heard a soft knock at the door. Was it Chara? He clenched his skeletal hands into fists, his pupils fading as he scowled at the door… but then relaxed when he sensed that it wasn’t that little demon brat.

     “Come in,” Sans said quietly.

     The doorknob turned, and in stepped the guest at the door. “Sans… Hello… It’s been a while…”

     “Emma…” Sans smiled warmly. “It’s so good to see you…”

     Miss Condrake, or Emma, smiled back. “I’m glad to see you’re alright… Oh… Frisk is here, too.”

     “Yes… It’s a long story… Would you like a beverage?” Sans offered.

     “Sure…”

 

     Emma followed Sans into the kitchen, the old woman taking a seat as the skeleton prepared some Golden Flower Tea for her. It was her favorite of drinks, Sans and Frisk’s too. Heh, how could anyone resist such a wondrous sweet treat?

     “… Ah… It’s been too long, hasn’t it?” Emma asked.

     “It has…” Sans said as he approached her with a small cup of the tea a few moments later. “How are you doing?”

     “Swell… Though, I can’t say that there are days where I struggle some. I am getting up there in my years.” Emma took a few sips from her cup. “Mmm, just as good as I remember.”

     “I’m glad.” Sans sat down across from her. “So… What brings you back here after so long?”

     “Well… I wanted to ask you if Frisk had talked with you yet…”

     “Oh, well…” He looked toward the living room.

     “I guess that something tripped her up… Chara, perhaps?”

     “Yeah…” Sans gave her a serious look. “… I… I’m worried that…”

     “She wanted to talk to you about that. She was planning to let you know that she was willing to be patient with you… and that she just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Emma gave him a soft smile, her ancient wrinkles only minor creases in her aged flesh. Her amber eyes twinkled as she stared back at the skeleton. “She wanted you to know that she would be there for you, and that when you were ready to talk she’d listen.”

     Sans held back the urge to stand up and dance around. So, she wasn’t planning to stick it to him and walk away?

     “Oh, Sans… Your joy is showing,” Emma teased.

     Sans felt his face growing hot. “Oh… Can you tell?”

     “Oh ho! You…”

     “Heh… I thought… I was afraid…”

     “It’s okay. She’s always going to be there. She’s a good girl… She would never leave you. She thinks way too highly of you.”

     “So… that was why she wanted to come here…”

     “Yes… but it seems Chara put a stop to her plans… Why?”

     “… I think that was his way of warning me that if I don’t speak up soon, he will. Emma… Maybe I can…” Sans felt a pang in his chest.

     “You can do it… If anyone knows how to speak with that girl properly, it’s you.”

     Sans’ pupils twinkled. “I guess…”He couldn’t help the grin breaking across his face.

     “Ah… There’s that lazy grin I missed so much… I remember the first time I saw that… I was so young then… Ah, those were the days…”

     “Yes… They were… and now Frisk is living them…”

     “Yeah… I don’t… I don’t think Frisk needs to know…”

     “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now, we just need to tell her about... the past…”

     “Right…”

 

     Sans was going to have to come clean with Frisk. Chara was pushing and pushing, and he couldn’t have that. Frisk needed to know what was going on, so he would tell her… and that was what he was going to do when she woke up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how’d I do? Did I make up for the long absence? *prays to the gods I did* I seriously hope I didn’t lose you guys for too long. I tried really hard to make Chara creepy and downright weird. 
> 
> Ugh… I kept rewriting this chapter over and over again. I don’t know if I’m satisfied… Grr… I’ll just leave it as is and come back to it later if I feel the need to add something or change things… 
> 
> It was really hard to get back into the groove because I was away for so long. Not only that, but I’ve got this toothache problem that’s just driving me up the wall (really need my wisdoms out but can’t affordUGH). 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, hope that this will suffice for now. I plan to upload more later on. Right now, I need to take a small break and then move on to “Hair Razor”. 
> 
>  
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 10: Heat
> 
> A little preview: Frisk wakes up some time later to Miss Condrake and Sans. They both claim that they have something to tell her… the past. Frisk is eager to finally learn the truth. However, it’s hard for her to concentrate… What’s that warmth within her chest? It feels like a fever… or something…
> 
>  
> 
> HollowArtist001, that person at DeviantART that's dead inside... Yep.


	10. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk feels a warmth in her chest...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! I have a few chapters of this for you all. I’m sorry that the progress of the story is so slow. I’m trying to build it up because there is a lot going on here. This is an original universe I’ve created (hopefully I’m not accidentally copying someone) and so I want to expand on as much as I can. 
> 
> I’ll try to get out at least five more chapters (you’ll find out how many once these are uploaded). Again, sorry if this story seems boring. I promise that things will really get moving soon. I’m trying to teach myself to not move the plot along too fast for stories that have more depth, so that there is a lot for the reader to explore. I think I’m starting to get the hang of it. I’ve been learning a lot since I started, so my writing should be improving at least a little.  
>  Alright, I’ll leave you guys to read. Oh, in the future, I’ll be updating my notes so that people won’t go to Tumblr to find me anymore. Evil porn bots tried to brainwash me into thinking dirty thoughts (I got targeted three times, can’t be coincidence; I know that many other sites have that problem, but this is the first time it’s happened to me so I don’t use Tumblr anymore). 
> 
>  
> 
> Get ready for a history lesson here, Frisk. You’re gonna need to take notes just to remember everything. You guys probably should, too.

     Frisk slowly opened her eyes, a hand reaching up and gently rubbing at both. She sat up and looked around. To her surprise, she was in Sans’ tree house-like home. Oh… That’s right… She remembered waking up the first time and seeing Sans there. She had told him about… A chill ran down her spine as she remembered. Chara… That boy… 

     “Hey, glad to see you up.” Sans’ voice startled her into looking in his direction. 

     “… Oh… Hi…” Frisk mumbled, a hot blush warming her cheeks.

     “Are you okay?” Sans asked quietly, most likely for her benefit, as he sat down beside her legs. “You were out for quite a while.”

     “Yeah… I’m fine…” Frisk looked around. “Um…” Her eyes darted toward her hands. They were gently balled into fists. “I…”

     “You look a little lost,” Sans joked.

     “Yeah…”

 

     Sans chuckled as he reached over and stroked her bangs out of her face. Frisk then crawled over and under his welcoming arm. She hugged his side, her knees pulling up to her chest as she did the best she could to bury herself in his form. Sans whispered calming words to her, his bony fingers brushing through her hair. She relaxed against this sign of comfort, her eyes falling shut as drowsiness creeped upon her conscious once more.

     “Is she awake?” another voice asked gently. It sounded like…

     “Miss Condrake?” Frisk asked quietly. 

     “Hi sweetie…” The elderly woman smiled as she came to sit beside Frisk. “Are you okay, dearie?”

     “Mhm…” Frisk nodded as she curled up farther into Sans’ side.

     “She’s still pretty out of it,” Sans whispered.

     “The poor dear… Oh, she’s a little cold.” Miss Condrake had put a soft wrinkly hand to Frisk’s arm. “Oh… Here.” She pulled over the blanket on the couch and draped it over Frisk, Sans assisting in covering the child.

     “Chara must’ve put a heavy sort of sleep spell on her,” Sans said. 

     “Perhaps.” Miss Condrake glanced at the child worriedly.

     “Sorry… I’m just… tired…” Frisk mumbled.

     “It’s okay, sweetheart.” Sans kissed her head. “You can go back to sleep if you want.”

     Frisk tiredly rubbed at her eyes. “… Just a little longer… maybe…”

     “Ssshhh…” Sans cradled her close. “Go back to sleep…”

 

     Frisk stretched herself out a bit before sinking into him, her small hand pressing to his ribcage as she gave in to sleepiness.

 

…

 

     “Aw, she’s so precious when she’s asleep,” Miss Condrake said. “The poor thing… I’m sure she’ll be okay in a couple more hours.”

     “Yeah… I’ll tell her then.” Sans smiled warmly down at the sleeping girl. “She’ll wake up real quick once she finds out what I plan to tell her.”

     “Hmm…” Miss Condrake appeared troubled by something.

     “What?” Sans asked. “Is everything okay?” Concerned, he tried to seek out what it was she was thinking. 

     “I’d… I’d probably leave out a couple of things…” Miss Condrake finally said after a minute of silence.

     “Like…”

     “The truth… of time…”

     “Ah… I see what you mean…” Sans nodded in agreement. “Yeah… Maybe, maybe someday when she’s old enough… I can tell her about that part.”

     “I’m glad you and I think alike.” Miss Condrake smiled with relief.

     “Well, as they say, great minds do think alike,” Sans said with a smirk.

     “Oh, you!”

 

     Miss Condrake and Sans both let out a hearty chuckle before the former stated she needed to spruce up in the restroom. Sans watched her go, the skeleton ready to teleport to her if necessary. She was able to make it without much trouble, though. 

     “Emma…” he whispered, his eye sockets creasing in distress. “I promise… I’ll do what I can to protect you… I wasn’t very good about this time… but I swear… I’ll make sure you come out of this unscathed this round… You and Frisk both had close calls… I can’t risk your lives again…” Sans sighed as he looked at Frisk again. “I will protect the both of you this time.” 

     Frisk mumbled something in her sleep, her tiny hand clutched at Sans’ sweater.   
Sans snickered at the sight. She really was precious when she was sleeping…

 

…

 

     Chara hummed a little tune to himself as he laid there upon the branch in the tree, his one leg bent while his other swung lazily off the side. Hands behind his head, he stared up at the roof of leaves high above him, all gratefully blocking out the blinding sun. 

     “…” Chara blinked a few times, humming now ceased. His mind was on that girl. Frisk was her name… She appeared afraid of him… Chara smiled. “… Hmm.”

 

     That girl… She was quite the feisty one. However, once someone showed her what she truly feared then she became quite the coward. Chara giggled playfully as he thought back to when she first tried to escape him, how she kept returning to that clearing. It was hilarious. Perhaps he’d found a new plaything. But, then… Chara frowned as he remembered that feeling he got around her. 

     He slipped a hand from behind his head to clutch at his chest. He could feel that warmth… So, it was true then. He bit down on his lower lip. So it was true after all. She was… She was compatible with him after all… Why didn’t he see it sooner? This girl…

     “I see…” Chara whispered. “So, she really is my soul mate… Interesting…”

 

     The sound of birds suddenly flying by startled Chara into shooting upright. He whipped his head, his hands between his hanging legs as he looked around. There was no one there. Despite this, he could that uncomfortable tug on his chest. He grunted as he grasped the front of his overalls and sweater, his teeth grinding together as he let out a hiss. 

     He squeezed his eyes shut tightly until the pain subsided. It felt like someone was trying to tear his heart out from within. He knew who was causing it. He just didn’t know how to stop it. 

     “… I have to find a way to stop him… no matter what…” Chara whispered. “Asriel… I won’t let him take you away… again…”

 

…

 

     Frisk shot up out of nowhere, a harsh choking gasp slipping as her eyes bulged. Sans jolted from the sudden action, his eye sockets wide as he checked over his little human. She appeared to be fine, though she was now drenched in a cold sweat. Frisk looked over at him, her hand pressing to her heart. It was racing so fast, the pounding against her palm so strong that it actually made her chest hurt.

     “… Ah…” Frisk let out a small cry as she hunched over. 

     “Frisk! You okay!?” Sans asked hurriedly.

     “I’m… fine… Sorry…” What… What was happening? She could feel a tugging at her chest… and it felt so warm. What was this? Where was this sudden heat coming from? “Ah… Hah…” She could feel something… No… someone… It felt familiar… “Huh…” Her chest was hot now. Something… Something was happening… but before she could try to seek further analysis, the feeling faded just as quickly as it had come. 

     “Frisk?” Sans was getting antsy.

     “I’m okay… I just… I had one of those weird dreams that woke me right up,” Frisk said quickly. “Sorry.”

     “Oh… O-Okay…” Sans didn’t appear all that satisfied, but he didn’t push the issue. 

     “Um… Oh, Miss Condrake…” Frisk spotted the surprised elder come walking into the living room. 

     “Goodness, did those couple of hours fly by without me knowing it?” Miss Condrake asked, a palm pressing to her worried expression. “I knew that I should’ve had those homemade remedies checked out after purchasing them from that strange shop…”

     “Oh… no. I was only out for a few minutes,” Frisk said. “I had just fallen asleep… and then I was startled awake by a strange dream I had. Heh…” 

     “Yeah, she just kind of woke right up,” Sans said.

     “Ah… Well, it’s good to see you’re okay.” Miss Condrake returned to her spot by Frisk.

     “Do you feel like you need to relieve yourself or maybe eat something?”

     “No… I’m okay.” Frisk smiled shyly. “Heh… Just a weird dream.”

     “Hmm…” Sans looked like he wanted to say something, but quickly averted his gaze when Frisk turned her head in his direction.

     “Sans?” Frisk became worried at his troubled expression. “What… What’s wrong?”

     “He has something to tell you… but you have to promise to listen and not say a word.” Miss Condrake now had her attention. “It’s about the monsters… He wants to tell you about what really went down many years ago…”

     Frisk’s eyes widened. What… What did she just say? “Ah…” She whipped her head to her left. “Sans…”

     Sans turned to look down straight into her eyes. “Yes, Frisk, I would like to tell you the truth. The whole truth, and nothing but. However, I have to know that I can trust you with this information. I do not want it being spread to anyone. Understand?”

     Frisk’s mouth fell open. He was serious. She could tell. She knew when he was serious. He wouldn’t speak to her that way unless he was really serious. “I… Oh… my god… Um…” She adjusted herself upon the couch. “… Um… Okay…”

 

     Miss Condrake nodded to Sans, who nodded back to her. Sans gave a heavy sigh before looking back down at Frisk. She had a curious look on her face, her eyes wide with wonder. She was going to drink in everything he told her like a sponge absorbing large amounts of water. She felt she was ready, but Sans didn’t know if she really was. Maybe she’d tell him to stop if things got too complicated or something.

     “Okay… Frisk…” Sans began. “You know how the war began, right?”

     “Yeah, a little monster girl was shot and killed by hunters who misunderstood that she was only saying hello to a little boy,” Frisk said. 

     “Right… Well, there’s much more than meets the eye here. You see… After the war began, the sorcerers chosen to seal the monsters underground… I came around just after the war started, the sorcerers not having come together until many years after…” Sans rubbed his skeletal palms upon his legs. 

     Frisk’s brows both rose when she saw that there were faint damp marks upon his pants. She then looked up at him. His skull was beaded with sweat, and his teeth were grinding together.

     “You see… The monsters all desperately wanted to find a way out so as to seek revenge upon the humans,” Sans said. “Especially the king and queen since… their son…” Sans’ face expressed remorse. “… He was the one who tried to stand up to the sorcerers before they were all sealed. His name was Asriel. He was young and naïve, only just a child. He was about your age when…” Sans’ eye sockets squeezed shut. 

     “What happened to him?” Frisk asked quietly.

     “He was… He was struck down…” Sans dared to spare a glance at Frisk.

     She had a look of horror on her face as she asked, “Oh my god! They killed him!?”

     “No… He somehow pulled through…” Sans’ eye sockets narrowed. “That’s where Chara comes into play…”

     Frisk’s eyes widened. She thought that her heart had stopped for a moment. “… Ch…”

     “He casted a spell on Asriel at the last second, just before Asriel was to die and turn to dust… He was able to save the child, but at a heinous cost… Something strange happened right after… A part of the child’s conscious had broken apart from him and… something sinister was born…”

     “Hold on, what do you mean by ‘turn to dust’?” Frisk asked.

     “When a monster dies, they turn to dust. Their soul shatters, and then there’s nothing left. Well, unless someone absorbs their soul… No one can live without their soul. If your soul leaves your body, then you’re as good as a dead person.” Sans stared Frisk straight in the face then. “No pulse, no nothin’.”

     Frisk’s face turned a deathly pale. “…”

     “Every person has a soul… Every animal has a soul… Every living being has a soul…” Sans pointed to his chest. “Beneath these clothes lies my own.” He then pointed to Frisk’s. “You do, too…”

     Frisk put a hand to her chest. She… She had a soul? 

     “That was how the monsters broke free…” Sans lowered his head. “And I… played a part in that…”

     Frisk gave him a worried look.

     “Frisk… The monsters killed the children and adults who fell down into the mountain…” Sans turned to her with tired eye sockets. “… and I helped them. The queen… She took out the first of the seven… I took down three more… and then the king got the rest…”

     “You mean…” Frisk’s eyes grew wider than ever before. “… You… You killed… children… and adults… humans… for their souls?”

     “… Yes… The monsters… They needed seven human souls in order to break the Barrier that the sorcerers had created…” Sans looked like he was about to cry. “Those children and adults… They were so innocent… They all fell down… The king and queen… They were so desperate to free our people…”

     “That’s why…” Frisk looked down at her lap. She could hardly see straight, her mind now fuzzy with shock. “… The village… The rumors… Everything…” 

     “They were innocent… and we took their lives… one by one… They all tried to run…” Sans’s voice wavered as he went on. “There was so much blood and tears and…” His face fell in his hands. “Oh god…”

     “So…” Frisk managed to look back at him. “This Barrier… thing… is what kept you all from getting out.”

     “Yes… The sorcerers put it up,” Sans said as he looked back at her. “They used their magic to create a sort of seal that could only be broken with a disgusting price… God, what would their son say if he was able to speak about it now?” 

     “What… What happened to their son? Where… Where is he now?” Frisk dared to ask.

     “Asriel is still alive to this day… However…” Sans continued, “… part of his soul is trapped within the evil that Chara accidentally concocted. He came around shortly after I did, so he was still quite young at that time. He and Asriel were very close. The king and queen even adopted him into their family.”

     “Whatever happened to the king and queen? Were they the ones I saw…?” Frisk’s voice trailed off as the haunting memory of that night returned… the night when she found her parents dead on the floor. The pool of blood… So much blood…

     “Yes… They were… They were both there… but they retreated as soon as I showed up,” Sans confirmed. “They were furious with the humans, and so they were plotting to destroy them…”

     Frisk sucked in a breath as she prepared to hear what he had to say next… but the words that came out of his mouth next were words that she had never expected to hear.

     “… The monsters weren’t responsible for what happened to the humans… The sickness that spread to them… They didn’t cause it.”

     “What!?” Frisk’s mouth fell wide open once again. 

     “Yeah… The cause of your parents’ deaths… Not even I know what caused it… but I know it wasn’t them…”

     “Perhaps Chara knows,” Miss Condrake suddenly piped up. “I believe that the demon boy knows what really happened. I don’t believe he caused it, but I’m sure he knows who or what did it.”

     “You know him?” Frisk asked.

     “I do… You see, Frisk, when Sans and I first met, I was but a child myself. Let’s see now… I am currently one hundred and forty-five, so it was about… sixty-five years ago that we met.” Miss Condrake blinked her pretty amber eyes. I was only 80 years old at that time… I had wandered into the forest myself when he’d found me. It had been many years after the war, just a little while after the monsters had been freed. He and I quickly became friends, and so he would visit me like he would you and you would him.”

     Frisk gave Miss Condrake a look of absolute disbelief. “Wha… What!? How old!?”

     “Oh yes, dear. I have been around for a very long time… You see, the magic that sparked between Sans and me… It’s… special…” She smiled sweetly at Sans, who then had to deal with a hot blush forming on his face.

     “I… Well…” Sans looked away, his hand rubbing up and down the back of his skull as the sweat poured from his face.

     “Sans?” Frisk questioned.

     “We’ll get to that subject another time,” Miss Condrake said. “For now, let’s move on… You see, Frisk, that outbreak… The monsters can’t cause that to happen with a flick of their wrists. They must’ve asked for assistance somewhere or maybe they just prayed for something bad to happen and it did. Either way, the king and queen were extremely hostile toward you because of their grief. Their son is currently stuck in a permanent slumber. He is unable to awaken until the missing piece of his soul is returned to him…”

     “Oh my god…” Frisk felt a warm tear well up in her eye. “I… I had… no idea…” Suddenly, she felt that warmth in her chest again. Heat… She could feel pain with it, but not the kind of pain that was discomfort to her. It was something else… Someone was sad, and they were sharing her pain with them. “I… Can I be excused? I need to use the restroom. This is a lot to take in, and well… I just kind of need a moment alone.”

     “Of course, dear… Please, go ahead,” Miss Condrake said.

     “Yeah… That’s about it, really…” Sans said.

     “Thank you.”

 

     Frisk hurried from the couch and to the restroom, her shaking hands closing the door behind her. She approached the mirror and clasped the sink with her quivering hands. So, the monsters had to kill humans just to break the Barrier that had locked them down there in that awful place… Seven lives… taken from this world… and all because of desperation, hate, and greed… 

     Frisk did the best she could to keep the awful images of torn up guts and slaughtered kids and adults from creeping into her mind. Instead, she turned her attention to the sensation she suddenly felt. What!? Her eyes grew wide as she noticed that… it was… 

     She put her hand to her chest. A faint red light emitted from beneath her hands. She recalled Chara having activated this strange feeling before, and she knew because this was the exact feeling she experienced. Again, that phantom pulling at her heart… No, no this was different, and it didn’t take her long to figure it all out.

 

 

 

  
Frisk realized that she had just discovered her soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now, things get interesting. If you have questions, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer them once I come back from my hiatus (I didn’t originally plan for Miss Condrake to be that old, but then I thought it’d be cool… especially since I described as an old woman when that one lady saw a monster lingering at that cave in one of the earlier chapters). I was building this up as I wrote it all out, and I’m shocked to see how much more developed this really is. 
> 
> OH MY GOD, I JUST REALIZED THAT I MADE SANS AN OLD GEEZER LOVER. 0.o I ALSO REALIZED I HAVE SERIOUSLY TURNED HIM INTO AN OLD MAN MONSTER… WUT? Someone needs to give this guy a huge hug here… 
> 
>  
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 11: Souls  
>  A little preview: Frisk shows Sans and Miss Condrake her discovery. Both are shocked, and also appear to be… horrified? Why? What’s wrong? And… why are they both trying not to cry? On top of that, Frisk gets a surprise visit late in the night… Someone is willing to explain what it is that’s going on…
> 
>  
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART IS WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME. : ) SORRY, MY CAPS LOCK IS STUCK FOR SOME REASON…


	11. Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk learns the truth about souls...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, here’s the next chapter. Hmm… I’m wondering if I accidentally listed as Sans coming around only a hundred years ago in one of the early chapters, because he actually came around a few hundred years, like 300 or 400… I hope I didn’t screw that up somewhere. Ugh… I’m gonna have to go back and check now, aren’t I? Great…
> 
> Okay, well, I’ll do that when I come back. I plan to fix up chapters already posted for every fic I’ve got so far anyway. Moving on from that stuff, I’ve a chapter on souls now. Oh, did you figure out who’s Sans’ soul mate is? B^) She thirstay for that skelly bootay!

     “Sans! Miss Condrake!” Frisk called. She darted out of the bathroom and ran over to the pair, both of whom were staring at her in surprise. “Guys! Look at this!” Frisk cupped her hands near her chest and focused on the warmth of it. It began to glow, just like before. “See!? See it!? Look!”

     Sans and Miss Condrake both stared at her, eyes and eye sockets wide open. 

     “See!?” Frisk asked frantically. “You see it… right?” 

     “Frisk…” A tear suddenly came to Sans’ eye socket.

     “S… Sans?” Frisk managed to ask. Why did he look so troubled?

     “… I…” Sans clutched at his pant legs before suddenly bolting from the couch and running straight to his room. He slammed the door shut, the sound making Frisk jump.

     “My god… Frisk…” Miss Condrake flew from the couch and threw her arms around Frisk.

     “What… What’s going on?” Frisk asked. “I… I’m really scared. I don’t understand…”

     “Oh god… Frisk…” Miss Condrake whispered. “No… No… This wasn’t supposed to happen… No… No… No… No no no no…”

     “Miss Condrake?” Frisk asked. “I… I need to go check on Sans…”

     “You need to go home, now child!” Miss Condrake said. “Please! Go! Go now!” The woman was practically screaming at her.

     “But… What!?”

     “Go!”

 

     Miss Condrake yanked Frisk over to the front door and threw it open, her hands pushing the child out as she commanded her to go home. Frisk tried to ask what was going on, but the door was slammed in her face midsentence. What the hell was happening here!? She didn’t mean to scare them! She just… She was shocked, that’s all.

     “Sans… Miss Condrake… Ah!” Frisk collapsed to her knees suddenly, her hands clutching at her chest. Oh god… It hurt! It felt like someone was squeezing her heart, a hand with sharp claws that dug deep into the bleeding muscle. “Ugh… Ah…” Her eyes shut tightly as she endured the pain. It finally subsided after a few moments, her hands shivering as she fell on her side. “What… What the hell?” She slowly got to her feet after a minute, her head pounding as she looked around. “Ugh… Need to get home… now…”

 

     Frisk slowly proceeded down the stairs. Sans and Miss Condrake wouldn’t send her home without reason like that. Something was clearly wrong, and it probably had something to do with the monsters… or that evil thing that may have caused the outbreak long ago.

 

…

 

     Chara had felt it. She’d done it. She’d actually done it. She’d discovered the power of her soul, only she didn’t seem to grasp what it was just yet. He felt the skeleton’s distress, how he was feeling the stagnating air of failure. That old woman was there to comfort him, so it would be fine. He was pissed, though. How dare Sans abandon Frisk like that? 

     “My little angel…” Chara whispered. “… Perhaps… our next meeting is coming sooner than expected…”

 

…

 

     Sans felt like someone had just torn him up like a piece of paper going through a shredding machine. He sat there on his bed, face in his hands as his elbows dug deep into his legs. Emma came over and sat down next to him, her hand caressing his back as she leaned into his hunched form.

     “… Sans…” she whispered. 

     “Emma… I don’t know what to do now… It’s all over… She’s going to… They’re going to…” Sans couldn’t focus. His mind was on what he believed was the inevitable.

     “Don’t worry… We won’t let them hurt her this time. We can do this.” Emma smiled with confidence, though her expression changed a few moments later. “You do realize, though… that we’ll have to ask for his help… right?”

     “…”

     “Only he can help us… He has the power to fight against the monsters…”

     “…”

     “I know you’re nervous, my love. But… this is the only way. It’s not like your father can help you…”

     Sans sighed. “Hah… Gaster is my creator… He’s not necessarily my father… At least, not to me…”

     “Even still… he can’t protect her because he’s a monster…”

     “I know.” Sans looked over at his soul mate. “I promise… I’ll keep the both of you safe… I won’t let them destroy what we have.”  
“Even if that happens… I want to be sure that Frisk will come out alive in all of this.” Emma gave him a serious stare. “… No matter what happens to me, I want you to make sure she is safe.”

     “… Emma…” Sans clasped her hands. “What about you?”

     “I will always be there with you… no matter what…” Emma smiled sadly. “But… you must remember that I am only human… Because of what we have, I’ve prolonged life after death for… a very, very long time… Sans… I’ve grown tired… It’s getting more and more difficult to get through each day…”

     “I understand.” Sans smiled back. “I’ll be sure your soul is saved when that time comes…”

     “Thank you… Sans…” Emma’s grin displayed more comfort now. “You know… We’ve done this so many times… We’ve protected her from danger for so long…”

     “It’ll all work out… right?”

     “Yes. She has come so far… She’s changed so much… over the years that have passed…”  
“Well, then this will be it. This will be the time that monsters and humans come together… I won’t fail.” Sans’ smile spread into a wide grin. “I’ll protect her… and I’ll let him help.”

     “Good.” Emma pecked Sans on the cheek. “I love you…” She cradled his cheekbone with her aged hand, Sans’ raising up to gently rest against it.

     “I love you, too… always.”

 

     Sans and Emma pressed their foreheads together, their eyes/eye sockets closing as they came to be at peace for the time being. Both could feel a warm stream of tears rolling down their faces, but they weren’t just tears of sadness or tears of joy… They were tears of relief and peace. They knew that their time together was running out, and so they would spend as much as possible while they still could…

  
  
…

 

     Frisk didn’t see Miss Condrake come home. She had no idea what was going on. She wanted to go back into the forest to try and find out, but she had that feeling in her gut that told her not to. And so, she stayed in the village for the rest of that day. Sans wouldn’t have just taken off like that. Something really had him upset. 

     “Just give him space,” Frisk said to herself. “That was what Miss Condrake once more. He knows I’m there… so I just need to give him space. I just hope he’s okay…” Frisk sighed as she approached her window. “It’s night now… Guess I should sleep…”

 

     Frisk approached her bed and tiredly flopped down upon it, her back pressed into the comfortable mattress as she looked to her right. The moon was so pretty. She couldn’t take her eyes off of it. She raised her hand up as if to touch it, so all she grasped was the air. Still… it was entertaining to cast an illusion upon herself, to be able to “pinch” the moon in between her fingers. 

     “Sans…” She was greatly worried about him and his sudden retreat, but she knew that he’d come around eventually. He told her everything about the monsters and the war, how they came to gather the souls and everything. “Souls…” Seven souls… 

     “They took those souls so they could break free, ya know… It was a small price to pay, but it doesn’t matter now because it’s too late…”

     Frisk shot up and looked toward the corner of her room. “Who’s there!?” she cried, her eyes wide as a wave of panic washed over her.

     “I’ve been meaning to meet with you again… my precious angel.” That voice…

 

     Frisk gasped as she was suddenly shoved down to the bed by an unseen force. Her hands zipped up above her head, both resting tightly against each other. She tried to move, but it was no use. She was trapped…

     She grunted in protest as the familiar feeling of being held down by an invisible force became more and more evident.  
She raised her head to see someone approaching her… Those glowing red eyes, those light rosy cheeks, that ivory pastel skin, those shining fangs… It was Chara. He came to a halt beside her, his grin casual but definitely mischievous as he looked down at her. Frisk ground her teeth together in frustration at the sight.

     “What do you want from me!?” she demanded. “How the hell did you get in here!?”

     “Oh, I just snuck in here without your knowledge.” Chara sat down on the bed. “So, how you doin’?”

     “Let me go!” she growled.

     “I will… I just wanted to have some fun first.” Chara waved a hand, and suddenly Frisk’s pajama top went flying up.

     “Kya! Stop it!” she screamed. 

     “What? I just wanted to see your adorable, pudgy tummy!” Chara playfully squeezed her middle, prompting Frisk to squeak.

     “Stop! Please! Seriously… What do you want?” 

     “Are you going to behave yourself?” 

     “Yes… I promise… Please…”

     “Hmm…”

 

     Frisk yanked her top back down once she was free and quickly sat up, her arms hugging her knees close to her chest as Chara leaned in close to her. She looked away, her eye averting his seductive gaze. Chara giggled as he crawled further onto the bed, the demon boy sleeking right over her. She pressed her back against the headboard as she turned her head to the right. She winced as she felt his warm breath graze her ear.

     “… You smell good…” he whispered.

     “Um… Eep…” She threw her hands up at either side of her head as Chara pressed his palm to her beating chest.

     “I can feel your soul… It’s so warm…”

     “Why… Why are you… doing this?” she asked quietly.

     “Sssshh… I’ll explain as long as you stay quiet, okay?” He cupped a hand around her cheek and gently pushed her cheek to make her look at him. “If you get talkative, I’ll zip your mouth shut. Got it?” He gave her a soft smile, but his gaze was sharp and threatening.

     “Uh… Okay…” she whispered fearfully.

     “Good. Now then…” Chara traced a finger down the middle of her torso. “About that skeleton… He has a reason for being so… retreating…” 

     Frisk’s lips quivered as she followed Chara’s finger. “You know… about that?”

     “I do,” Chara said with a lazy look on his face as he idly drew imaginary swirls upon Frisk’s middle through her top. “See… The monsters needed souls in order to break the Barrier. The sorcerers had sealed them with quite the powerful magic. This magic was full of hatred for the monsters. And so, to contradict that hateful magic, seven souls of love were needed to break it down. There were seven sorcerers who hated the monsters…”

     “So… seven humans who felt pity…” Frisk continued for him.

     “Yeah…” Chara’s hand came to rest against her navel. “You see, Frisk…” He looked at up at her with a more serious expression. “The monsters are truly afraid of humans. They always have been… so it was naturally fate for them to have to go through such torture…” He gently poked her umbilical area through her shirt, Frisk wincing in the process. “The monsters… They are a force to be reckoned with…”

     “Why? Why did this have to happen? Why couldn’t they reconcile?” Frisk asked.

     “Because…” Chara grasped both of her wrists and held them against the headboard. “… The monsters were wild animals then… They had no idea how to act civilized. They were basically stuck in the ‘cave man’ stage of life.” 

     Frisk stared deep into Chara’s bloody eyes. “… I… I think I understand…” Her voice trailed off as she was overwhelmed by the captivating sight of his gaze. Something… Something was calling her…  


     Frisk and Chara’s chests both began to glow a bright crimson, Frisk moaning as she endured the phantom tugging of not her heart, but her soul. Chara shushed her and whispered that it was okay, that if she resisted it then it would be painful. Frisk cried softly as her head hung low. She was so scared, and there was no one to help her. 

     “Frisk… Our souls… They’re connected,” Chara said. “They’re… meant to be together…”

     “I don’t want this…” she croaked. “Go away… You’re creepy and scary…”

     “My dear… I have to stay… for if I don’t, then bad things will happen to you…” Chara’s darkly smile returned.

     “What do you mean?” Frisk asked, her eyes blurry with tears.

     “The monsters… They’re seeking you out right now… If they find you, there’s no stopping them from tearing you apart…” 

     “What!?”

     “That’s why Sans was so upset, and Miss Condrake too… because they can’t save you from the monsters… At least, not without my help…” Chara snickered. “See, Sans can’t use his magic against his own kind… So therefore, he can’t protect you!”

     Frisk fell silent then, her eyes wide with shock. “He… can’t…?”

     “Nope!” Chara said happily. “That’s the rule of the world for some reason. He can’t use his magic against them. Granted, he can pin them to the ground or block them off with some bones or something, but he can’t physically harm them. No way, no how, his magic simply bounces off of like light reflecting off of a mirror.”

     Frisk’s mouth fell open. 

     “Yeah… So, if I were you, I’d be a good little angel and do as your demon says,” Chara whispered, his grin spreading in a Cheshire-like fashion. “You’re safe as long as you’re with me the same way that old lady is safe with Sans, because you and I… are _soul mates.”_

 

     Frisk stared at Chara in disbelief. What did he say!? Soul mates!? What!? How… How was something like that… even remotely possible? No, there was no way that this little creep was her soul mate. That just couldn’t be right… right? That just had to be wrong… To begin with, she was still so young… And, not only that, but she’d just met this boy. So, how could he possibly be her perfect partner for life anyhow?

     “How do you think that your parents found each other? Because they were destined for love,” Chara said, “through soul searching and soul bonding.”

     “That’s just nonsense! Crazy talk!” Frisk said. 

     “Souls are connected in this world… For some, there are many partners, whether in intimacy or merely a brotherly/sisterly kind of way. Either way, we are all connected to those destined to cross paths with us. You and Miss Condrake? Your souls are connected maternally. You and Sans? Same thing.”

     “Wha…?” 

     “That boy you got into a fight with? Your souls both clashed, and so you’re not compatible with each other. Do you see where I’m going with this?” Chara released his grip on Frisk’s wrists. 

     “I… I somehow… understand all of this…” Frisk took some time to gather herself before speaking again. “But… But… you and I… are not destined to be together.” She glared at Chara. “You’re disgusting and gross and creepy. I hate you.”

     “In time, you’ll understand better, my precious little angel,” Chara said. “But, for now… I’ll leave you with this. After all, we are meant to be together.”

 

     Chara’s lips suddenly crashed against Frisk’s, her eyes bulging as she gave a muffled cry. No way, not her first kiss! C’mon, really!? Frisk tried to fight back, but Chara had already anticipated this and pinned her hands down at her sides. Frisk moaned in frustration… but then grew quiet as Chara’s mouth enveloped hers. 

     Her nostrils harshly blew at Chara’s with each furious breath she took, her mouth suddenly maneuvering with his. They fought for control as her tongue slipped out, Chara’s tongue quickly intertwining with hers. Her heart was beating so fast, and her chest felt so hot like it was on fire. She could feel Chara’s soul heating up as well, it emitting a bright red hue along with hers. Both souls were tugging at one another, as if struggling for dominance. 

     “Hah… Hah…” Chara took in heavy breaths as he pulled away. “Wow… You… You really are quite… the kisser…”

     Frisk took in several small, quick breaths before speaking. “This… changes nothing…” 

     “We’ll see about that… Goodbye for now, angel…” Chara whispered. 

 

     The demon boy suddenly vanished, leaving his little angel girl alone in her moonlit room. He’d left her feeling giddy, excited… and wanting more. Frisk, against her will, longed to feel his body against hers again, the warmth and comfort of his soul pulling hers toward him. She hated this feeling… but she couldn’t stop it. She could feel the longing hunger crawling up her back like an awful sin that she was sure she’d just committed, and there was no one to forgive her for it.

     On the upside, she now knew more about souls and how they worked. She learned that there were soul mates that found each other through things called soul searching and then soul bonding. She also learned that monsters couldn’t attack each other with their souls’ powers. She felt that there was still more to this mystery, though… She just had to figure it out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> … How was this one? Good, I hope. Planning on uploading tomorrow, the day you guys see these. I’m going to upload throughout the day because I’m going to need to type more. I’d get more out now, but it’s now after midnight as I’m finishing this up, so I need to get to bed. I woke up really late (technically yesterday now), and I can’t be doing that).   
> *screams into the void as I hit my head against a wall* 
> 
>  
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 12: The Power of Souls
> 
> A little preview: Frisk checks up on Sans and finds that he’s feeling better. She tells him that Chara told her everything about the basics of souls and how they function. Sans then speaks with her about the questions she has lingering on her mind...
> 
> You can yell at me about stressing myself out here: HollowArtist001@DeviantART


	12. The Power of Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk learns about the different types of souls...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 12 is ready to go! God… I just find it really funny that I had Sans for an old lady. How cute is that?
> 
> Well, I thought I was going to get this moving plot-wise, but I’ve really done is add more shit to the history and whatnot…  
>  -_____________-‘’’ I mean, there was some plot movement, but not much… I’m so sorry… I’m just really getting into this… X D

     Frisk didn’t sleep a wink all night. Chara’s words weighed on her mind, as well as that surprise encounter she’d had that night. She tossed and turned all night long, but to no avail. Every five minutes, she would sit up and check to make sure Chara hadn’t snuck back in. She would be unsuccessful, but that feeling of being watching lingered in the back of her mind. She tried to block out the sense of paranoia, but there was no running from it. 

     Frisk gasped as she heard something fall over in her closet. “Chara!” She shot from her bed and ran over to the closet, her hands throwing the doors open. “… Oh…” She kneeled down to pick up a box that she’d had sitting on the top shelf. It had some random mementos of her parents. “… Geez…” She stood on the tips of her toes and carefully maneuvered the box back on the top shelf of her closet.

 

     Once she was done, Frisk looked toward her window. It was early morning, the sun just peeking over the trees. The sky was a very light shade of blue, a soft pink encircling the rising golden orb. Frisk’s eyes came to focus on the trees. Sans… Miss Condrake… Neither one had been seen since yesterday…   
“…”

 

     Ten minutes had passed, and Frisk was racing out of the house dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, and socks with sneakers. She had to check on Sans, just to see if he was okay. She couldn’t resist the nagging feeling in her chest. Her soul… It was pulsating violently with this yearning. Perhaps it was connected to her emotions as well? 

     Her thoughts drifted to that of Chara and… that moment… when he’d kissed her. She could feel his soul tugging her toward it, and vice versa. Both had been locked in a tight battle for control, neither one willing to give.

     For the first time, she’d felt what she was sure her parents had felt. Lust… desire… Frisk was disgusted with this, especially since she had no clue who that boy was and certainly didn’t appreciate his unwelcomed advances. But, on the flip side of the coin, she had witnessed herself that she somehow liked it… wanted it… No one had made her feel so alive like that… She felt that no one could love her like that… It was true that she was lonely… but she didn’t think she was _that_ lonely… or was she?

 

     Frisk shook her head as she made her way through the forest. She could think about this more later. Right now, she needed to focus on Sans and Miss Condrake. She needed to make sure they were okay…

…

     Frisk darted up the steps of Sans’ cabin, her sneakers pounding against each plank of wood. As soon as she’d hit the last, the front door opened and Sans was standing there. He nodded for her to come inside, Frisk happily obliging. As soon as Sans had shut the door, Frisk immediately looked him over for any signs of distress. She could see none. Was he feeling better?

     “Sans? Are you okay?” she asked. “I was really worried about you…”

     “I’m sorry for running out like that,” Sans said. “Please… have a seat while I go and get you something to eat. I’m sure you skipped breakfast in order to get here as fast as possible.” Sans chuckled as he heard Frisk’s stomach grumble on cue.

     “Sorry…” Frisk mumbled shyly as she placed her hands over her noisy tummy.

     “Heh… It’s alright. Have a seat over there on the couch.”

 

     Frisk went over and sat down at the corner of the couch farthest from the front door while Sans went into the kitchen. He came back a minute later with a plate of cinnamon rolls. Frisk smiled as he sat down beside her, his hands placing the plate upon her lap. 

     “I gave you four because I want to make sure you eat,” Sans said. 

     “… Aw, thanks.” Frisk gave him a small kiss on the cheek.

     “You’ll grow big and strong as long as you get the nutrients you need.”

     “You’re too kind, old man.”

     “Hey!” Sans frowned at Frisk. “I might be old, but I ain’t that old!”

     Frisk laughed. “Haha! There’s that cranky ol’ guy I missed so much!”

     Sans fought to hold back a snicker. “… Ehm… Ah…” 

     Frisk giggled and hugged him with one arm. “I love you, Sans.”

     “I love you too, kiddo,” Sans whispered as he hugged her back.

 

     Frisk and Sans idly chatted with each other for the next hour after that. They talked about simple things, like the weather and how it was going to be changing soon. It was almost August, so hopefully it would get a little cooler. Frisk stated that because it had been so hot she would wear only a tank top and shorts. Sans of course chimed in about wearing shoes when walking outside, so Frisk retaliated with a playful protest. Sans chuckled in response. 

     “Silly… You could step on something,” he said.

     “Haha, I know. I’m just lazy… Plus, I hate sandals. Ugh!” Frisk stuck her tongue out as she made a face. “Bleh!”

     “Heh… That’s funny.”

     “Yeah…” Frisk’s face fell as a more serious thought crept into her mind. Despite having a full stomach, it felt like it was in knots. “Um… Sans…” She set the plate down on the small table in front of her. “I… I have to tell you something…”

     “Sure, what’s up? It sounds important.” Sans placed his hands in his lap. “What’s on your mind?”

     Frisk took a deep breath before speaking. “… Chara came to visit me in my room last night…” She dared a glance at Sans, who only had a blank stare. God, she hated when she couldn’t read his face. “… He… He told me how souls work… and that… he and I are… soul mates…” She covered her eyes for fear that he’d get mad. 

     “…” Sans said nothing as he slowly reached over and gently pulled her hands down. 

     “… He…” Frisk mumbled, “… He said that… souls that are compatible… are the reason why I get along with you and Miss Condrake… I didn’t get along with that boy… because his soul clashed with mine… With Chara… I tried to get away from… him… but… I couldn’t… and he… he… well…” Frisk hesitated on the last few words. “… He kissed me…”

 

     Frisk braced herself for the worst. She knew how protective Sans was of her. However, he just calmly sat there. Was he upset? Was he okay? Frisk couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Her eyes tried to figure him out, to look for anything out of the ordinary, but the skeleton gave away nothing. 

     “… He and I… We kissed… and I actually… wanted it…” Frisk nervously continued. “I could feel the tugging of my soul… and… I was so confused…”

     “I see.” Sans had finally responded, though he was staring off into space a bit. “Did you like it?”

     Frisk looked at him dumbfounded. “… What?”

     “Did you like it?” he asked again. “How did it make you feel?”

     “… Um…” Frisk felt her face grow hot, her cheeks flushing a bright red. “Okay, I guess… Though, I really didn’t want it…”

     “I see… Well…” Sans rubbed his legs. “There’s something we need to discuss then…”

     Oh no! Frisk’s face expressed sheer horror. He wasn’t about to have _the talk_ with her, was he!? “Oh gee, look at the time! I should go! I just remembered I got stuff to do, so I should—”

     “No, no. Not that kind of talk,” he said with a chuckle as he patted her hands. “I mean about souls searching for each other and bonding.”

     “Oh…” Frisk sighed with immense relief. She muttered, “Thank you, God,” under her breath before letting him continue.

     “You see, Frisk… Wait, what did he already tell you?” Sans asked.

     “He said that my parents met due to soul searching and became a couple because of soul bonding,” Frisk said. 

     “Right, so he didn’t go into detail or nothin’.”

     “No.”

     “Okay… Well, basically, soul searching is like two pieces of a puzzle coming together by the power of magic. Every person has a soul mate in this world. Now, whether or not they find their soul mate is up to them.”

     “Chara said that some have many soul mates, and that they can be of intimacy or just platonic.”

     “Right… Well, you and I are soul mates, but in a different way. The term for what we have is soul companion. Soul companions are people who are your friends and/or family.”

     “I see…”

     “Soul bonding comes into play once you find someone you’re compatible with. Your soul automatically links with the other person’s or other people’s soul or souls. Once they’re bonded, they are able to connect and, well…”

     “So, I can understand you, in a way?”

     “Yeah, something like that. You feel the pain that I feel, and I feel the pain you feel. Does that make sense?”

     “Right, because I definitely notice when you’re troubled.”

     “Yes, and you’re also able to seek out my power… as well as my soul. Any person your soul has bonded with can see your soul and understand your power. Right now, I can see your soul if I focus on it…”

     “Really?” Frisk looked down at her chest.

     “Yes… Your soul… It’s beautiful…” Sans smiled. “It’s a small red orb of light… and it shines bright with a power that all monsters and humans crave most.”

     “Really!? What kind of power is that?”

     Sans’ eye sockets narrowed. “… Determination.”

     Frisk’s eyes widened. “Determination?That’s… That’s just a powerful emotion, right?”

     “The power of souls varies… You have the strongest kind.”

     “I… do?” Frisk leaned back into the couch as she took this all in. No way… 

     “There are many different kinds of power… There’s Patience, Kindness, Perseverance, Bravery, Integrity, Justice, and Determination. These seven help make up the power of souls. You possess the final. I myself possess the soul power of Perseverance, while Emma possesses Kindness.”

     “… That’s… crazy… but I do believe it… I think…” Frisk mumbled, her expression void of emotion as she sat there.

     “I know this is a lot to take in, but it is true…” Sans continued. “However… there are four more…”

  _“There’s even more?”_ Frisk asked.

     “Yes… These four types of souls are known as Mischief, Fear, Innocence, and Desire… They’re the four other types of souls that make up the power of souls. They’re more like the subcategory of soul types, though the second and last are the most powerful of the four. I think you can guess who possesses the first… He’s really the only one that I know of… It’s the rarest type of soul.”

     Frisk frowned. “Chara…”

     “That’s right… He is the one person I know to possess the soul of Mischief. He is a very playful person, and that is due to the type of soul he has. Plus, he is a demon…” Sans rolled his pupils. “It’s only natural for him I suppose.” 

     “Aren’t there other people who are like that, though?”

     “Yes, but not to that degree… As for the other three, they are very common like the rest.”

     “What you said about soul bonding… Can certain types not bond with each other due to their characteristics?”

     “Actually, they can. Even though Desire is quite the dark type, it can still bond with the others, most notably Innocence and Fear because they’re the weakest of souls. However, it can also bond with the other types as long as that person’s soul doesn’t clash. It is more difficult to accomplish, though, since it is the type to display one’s darkest mindset outright.”

     “I see. So, then do you know anyone who possesses the other three?”

     “Oh yes, there are many. Asriel, as a matter of fact, possesses the soul of Innocence. However… the missing part of him… the creature that got away after it was created… It possesses the soul of Desire, and not in the good way. Anyone with the soul of Desire is known to be greedy and full of themselves. They crave power, and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to get that power…” Sans looked over at Frisk with a serious expression. “… This creature is still on the loose, and Emma and I sure that it’s responsible for the outbreak.”

     “… What is it?” Frisk asked.

     “I’m not sure exactly what it is, but I can tell you that it’s very dangerous. You’ll know when you see it, too.”

     “But, I thought you said I can only seek out a soul I’ve bonded with.”

     “Yes, but your soul will pick up on a faint amount of strength from an unknown soul. You’ll feel a sense of uneasiness, like something’s crawling up your back…”

     Frisk felt a chill run down her spine. That was how she felt with Chara. 

     “Trust me, Chara isn’t the one who you really need to worry about. It’s the monster out there plotting to destroy us all…” 

     Frisk gave him a suspicious look. 

     “Yes… I picked up on your uneasiness…” Sans chuckled nervously.

     “I see… So that’s how it works…”

     “Yeah… Does everything make sense to you now, sweets?”

     “Yeah, but I do have one more question…” A sly smile formed on Frisk’s face. “Are you and Emma soul mates?”

     Sans’ face turned a bright shade of red. “Ah… I… Well…” Sweat began to form at his nonexistent brow as his porcelain pupils darted in various directions.

     “Ah! So it’s true!” Frisk clapped her hands as she kicked her legs out. “That’s so adorable! You’re like a cute old married couple!”

 _“I’M NOT THAT OLD!!!!!!!!!!”_ Sans roared as his pupils faded.

     Frisk burst out laughing as she rolled on her side. 

     Sans grumbled to himself as he crossed his arms over his chest, the corners of his mouth twitching in agitation. “Pfft… Old… I’m not like Grandpa Moses or anything… Grr…” 

     “No… You’re just you.” Frisk happily patted him on the head. “You’re my old skeleton man friend.”

     “… Hmph.” Sans appeared quite childish to Frisk right now. 

     “Love you skelly…” she whispered cutely.

     “Uh huh, sure ya do,” Sans muttered, though a smile did manage to break through his frown.

 

…

 

     “… I see… So you told each other… Good, that’s exactly what I was hoping for…” Chara was watching Frisk and Sans from a nearby tree. “Well, I guess my work here is done for now, right?” He looked over at the figure floating beside him.

     “Yes… Just make sure they stay out of trouble…”

     “You got it, boss…”

 

     Chara gave a wink with a sort of tsking sound as he grinned, the figure next to him fading into the shadows of the trees. The demon then looked back at the tree house. He could see the two through the window, so there was no need for him to use his magic. They appeared to be alright at the moment, though things could change. 

     “Frisk…” he whispered, his eyes focused entirely on her now. “…” He put a hand to his beating chest. “… You and I… are one… in the same… I won’t let that thing take you from any of us…”

 

     Chara could not fail this time… He had to do things right, or else he will have failed this world… He had one final chance to catch this thing and rescue the remaining part of Asriel that was trapped within. Asriel… 

     “I won’t fail you, Brother… I love you… with all of my heart and soul…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @ x @ Oh my goodness… So many souls to choose from… I just kept adding up the list because I was trying to remember them all… I didn’t describe the common ones since they’re pretty self-explanatory, though I did label “Desire” as an evil kind since it just spoke out to me that way (plus, naming it “evil” sounded cheesy). 
> 
> Well, I think that’s all I’ve got for now. Oh, and I was going to hold back on releasing information on Chara for a long while, but I figured that it’d be okay to give out what I did early on because there is a whole lot more to explore with him, and it’s all really important stuff like how he came to be and whatnot. 
> 
> In the next chapters I have coming up soon, I want to move on to events that occur, such as strange happenings in the village and the sudden appearance of… someone. I also want to touch upon the monsters more, so you’ll be seeing more of them soon. Also, I hate to tell you all… but someone’s gonna die. Yep, it’s gonna happen. I’m sorry folks. I’ll let you all theorize on who it could be. It could be monster or human. I’m not gonna say, though. *nervous cough*
> 
> I think this is going to be the last chapter I give out for this because this was very draining for me. I might squeeze out one or two more, but I’m getting my hopes up on that. 
> 
>  
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 13: ??? 
> 
> A little preview: TBA
> 
>  
> 
> Too lazy, here ya go. I haven’t updated my page much, but this is where you can get updates on my fics to see how they’re progressing (I’ll put up a status or journal entry in every once in a while): HollowArtist001@DeviantART


	13. ???

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DESCRIPTION UNAVAILABLE----------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeeeeeeey, I’m back. B>) Did y’all miss me? Heh… Hey guys, hope you’ve all been doing well. I’ve got some new chapters for you. However, I’ll probably release one at a time over the course of several days (I may or not make changes. Heh…). 
> 
> *Important: If you’re a reader of my original “Fallen Flower” fic, guess what? There’s a new version up now! Go read it! : D* 
> 
>  
> 
> Okay, so I had to go over this chapter real quick as a recap. Surprisingly, I remember the other chapters, but this one was most important and well… I forgot all about it. Now, the reason why it’s so important is because this chapter talks about the many soul types (why did I make so many…), and that is very important to this story. *sigh* Over the course of the couple months I took off, I still lingered about on the internet, but I was able to recharge my batteries for writing fanfic stuff. Also, stuff happened that was good and bad (my brother recently got engagedYAY, but I lost a cat that I didn’t get to say goodbye to...).
> 
> Alright, I’ve blabbered on enough. I hope you enjoy this next set of chapters I’ve prepared for you all. I’ll get them all out one at a time, so you won’t have to wait long for the next after this and so on.
> 
>  
> 
> Previously: Frisk learns about the various soul types and how they function (yeah…).

     He was watching them very closely from within the shadows. They had no idea he was there. A small, dry chuckle slipped his crooked lips as he listened in on the king and queen’s conversation. Those fools… They were letting their hatred get the best of them. That child was no threat, and neither were any of the other humans. And yet, they were plotting to destroy them. 

     Chara was doing his best to hold them off, but he was running out of time. Time… what a cursed word. Lots of people felt that they had all the time in the world to do things… but not Chara. No… This was his last shot at saving the royal son… at saving that girl and everything she ever cared about. 

     “Oh… How it makes my heart sing to see him try so hard…” he whispered. Each word was distorted from lack of vocal strength. “… Hmm?” He cocked his oddly-shaped head to the side as he spotted _that thing._ “I see… So you’ve returned again… How much more are you willing to push them? Wretched weed…”

 

     He wanted so badly to just tear that thing apart, but he couldn’t. Not like this. He was powerless against the flower. He could phase through walls as well as lift things with his phantom grip, but not physically harm anyone unless he threw the object held at his target. That flower was no easy target, so the second ability was out. 

     “Hey…” 

     He whipped his around to see that Chara was now standing before him. “Ah… Welcome back, demon child…”

     “You can call me by my name, you know.”

     “Yes… I know. It just amuses me to address you as such.”

     “I see. So…” Chara frowned as he spotted the flower. “Grr…”

     “Do not waste your time on it. We can’t do anything right now anyway.” His drooping eyes narrowed as he stared into the demon boy’s crimson eyes. “… Did you manage to convince him?”

     “Yeah… I did. He was a bit hesitant at first, but I think I got him to come around. Heh~” Chara gave a playful wink. 

     “Good. We’re all set then.” He turned back to the royal couple. “Asgore and Toriel are feuding again.”

     “Yeah, I see that. Perhaps I have to break it up again.” Chara rose up on the toes of his sneakers. “Mmm… I guess I could pay a visit. They love me to pieces. Well, not like the humans…” A deep blush flashed across Chara’s face as he expressed the feeling of dreaminess, a thin line of drool sliding down the corner of his mouth. “Aaaaaaaaah… Frisk~”

     He gave a sigh as he watched Chara hunch over, the demon boy’s hands clasping around his round cheeks. “Get a hold of yourself. You look like a pervert lusting over schoolgirls.”

     “Teehee! Can you tell?” Chara asked. He stuck out his tongue with a grin. 

     “Hah… You’re such a hopeless romantic.”

     “Hey!” Chara stomped a foot. “I am not!”  
He shook his deformed head in defeat. “Hah…”

     “Hmph…” Chara crossed his arms over his chest as he made a pouty face. “If anything, you’re the hopeless romantic… Igor-san.”

      _“I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!!!!!”_ he roared, Chara squealing as he was sent flying. 

     “Calm your tits, dude! I was only joking!” Chara shrieked. “Geez!”

     “I can’t help the fact that I have a bad back!!!!!!!” he spat.

     “Exactly! Hahahahahahahahahaha!” Chara hugged his sides as he leaned over laughing. “Hahahahahahaha!”

     The phantom figure grumbled to himself as he turned away from the demon. “… I hope you fall in a pool of acid and dissolve into nothing but bones.”

     “Haaaah???” Chara’s mouth fell wide open, a look of horror on his face. “You wouldn’t wish such a fate on me, would you!?”

     “Perhaps…” The phantom turned back to Chara. “… Heh…”

     Chara gave a yip as he retreated to safety.  
“That boy… I swear… Hah…”

 

…

 

     “Sans...” Frisk turned to the skeleton as they were washing dishes at the kitchen sink. “Where do you stand on the whole ‘paper or plastic’ thing?’”

     “…” Sans looked down at her with a dull look. “… I really don’t want to get into that…Emma and I once argued over that, and it wasn’t pretty.”

     “Hmm, okay then. How about ‘top or bottom’?”

     “GAH!!!!” Sans jumped at that second question, the plate in his hand suddenly flying through the air. 

     Frisk squealed as she ran from the sink, the plate caught just in time as Sans swiped it just before it hit the floor.

     “… Gugh…” His pupils faded from his eye sockets. He seriously wondered how the hell Frisk had learned such a thing. On top of that, what the hell gave her the idea to ask such a thing!?

     “Yoohoo! Sans!”

     The skeleton felt his face grow immensely warm. “… Emma…”

 

     Sans mechanically set the plate down on the counter and slowly walked over to the kitchen doorway. Emma was there, the frail old woman speaking idly with Frisk about something. The two were giggling…

     “What? It was just a joke,” Frisk said.

     “Oh, dear, you don’t ask someone that kind of question outright… Oh! Sans!” Emma looked over with her copper-toned eyes. “Hi…”

     Sans’ mouth twitched, but he held his composure. “… Emma… Nice to see you.” He glared at Frisk, who was now cheekily smiling back at him. That sneaky little rat…

     “Skelly! Now that Miss Condrake is here, can we get started now?” Frisk asked innocently.

     “Yeah sure,” he muttered.

     “Yay!” Frisk ran over and hugged him. “And don’t worry…” She looked up at him with a wink. “I promise I won’t get in the way of your elderly romance.”

     Sans flinched in response, an annoyed look on his face. He fought back the urge to unleash every curse under the sun upon this child. 

     “Alright, well, let’s get going!” Emma said quickly. She could see that Sans was desperately trying to keep himself from smacking Frisk upside the head. “Come with me dear and we’ll get the seeds ready.”

     “Okay!” Frisk said happily.  
Sans shook his head as Frisk childishly skipped out the door with Emma. “Kid’s gonna be the death o’ me… I can feel it… Hah…”

…

     “Wow!” Frisk’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “These look great!”

 

     Frisk, Sans, and Emma had been busy all afternoon planting flowers. It was something that Emma had been doing for a while. Her house was now littered with flowers, and Sans found that adorable so he offered to place some around his place as well. He felt it would help her feel more comfortable since she sometimes got nervous when visiting. This forest was dangerous, after all.

     “You did pretty good, kiddo!” Sans ruffled the girl’s hair. “Can’t wait to see these grow up into beautiful blooms.”

     “Yeah!” Frisk beamed up at the skeleton. “I think that the adult ones will act as major encouragement.”

     “I figured that roses and sunflowers were the best option since they always came through for me,” Emma said happily.

     “Yeah…” Sans looked over at her and blushed. “Heh…”

     Emma grinned warmly up at him. 

     Frisk giggled. “Hehe… You two are so cute together…”

     Sans snorted. “Pfft, you just mind your own business.”

 

     Frisk gave a playful growl as Sans gently wrapped his arm around her head and lightly ground his fist into her scalp. Frisk squirmed about as she tried to break free, the skeleton laughing as the two fell to the ground. Emma chuckled as they rolled around, the old woman walking over to the steps of the cabin and taking a seat so she could watch them play. Frisk went on to say that she had gotten tougher, to which Sans stated that she would never be as strong as he was. 

     Emma shook her head as she admired the two of them. They were so close, like a true father with his daughter. She adored Frisk so much and how the child made Sans happy… Emma quickly wiped away a tear that had formed at her eye. She knew that it wouldn’t be long before the reaper came to claim her soul. She was growing weaker and weaker every day… 

     “Just have to make the most of what little time I have left,” she whispered. She snickered as she watched Sans pin Frisk to the ground and ignite a surprise tickle attack. “Oho Frisk…” She sat there as Frisk cried out with laughter, her smile successfully hiding the pain she was feeling. She was going to miss all this… _But, I can only last so long… Nothing lives forever unless you make a deal with evil… and that is not something I wish to do…_

 

     He offered her a chance at immortality, and Sans too. However, she turned it and so did he. They both knew the consequences that would arise. It was better to accept death when it came. In a way, it was the key to freedom from the pain and suffering of the world.

 

…

 

     “… She is pained…” he whispered. ??? sighed as he observed Sans and the child. “He doesn’t realize that she is troubled because she won’t say anything… I can only hope that she tells the truth soon… She doesn’t have much time left…”  


     ??? faded into the shadows, not a trace of him remaining. He appeared again before the entrance to the monsters’ home, a frown forming on his slanted brow as he spotted Chara speaking with Asgore. The two looked like they were arguing about something, but their discussion seemed tame.

     He sleeked against the wall of trees, careful so as not to be spotted. Now within earshot, he could hear Asgore grumbling about how Toriel was being unreasonable. Apparently, she had started sleeping in a separate bed from his and he was not happy about it.

     “… It’s ridiculous…” the goat man growled.

     “Don’t fret about it, Goat Dad. Goat Mom’s just stressed because she’s not getting enough sleep,” Chara said. “Not only that, but Goat Brother is still…” Chara looked down at the ground. 

     “Hah…” Asgore’s head fell as well. 

     “… I’m trying to find a way to save him… I just need more time,” Chara said quietly.

     “… I understand…” Asgore gave an apologetic look. “Just don’t get yourself hurt.”

     Chara smiled up at him. “I won’t.”

 

     As Asgore turned to walk away, Chara looked over to where ??? was hiding. He nodded his head, a dull expression on his face. ??? nodded and floated over to him. He asked Chara if things were alright, to which the demon said that things were fine. ??? nodded. 

     “… I guess all we can do now is wait on you,” he said.

     “Yep.” Chara kicked a stray pebble on the ground. “Just gotta get Frisk ready. As for him, he’s willing to cooperate so long as the attention’s not directed at him.”

     “You sure this won’t hurt them any?”

     “’Course not. Should be fine, totally fine.”

     “I hope so, for your sake…” His empty sockets widened. “… You wouldn’t want something to go wrong…”

     “Stop it, dude! I hate it when you get all creepy like that! Ugh!”

 

     Chara turned around and ran off into the trees that led into the monster village. ??? watched him go. Once he was gone, ??? disappeared once more. He felt the urge to go for a little stroll since he had nothing left to do that day…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmm… I’m sure you know who ??? is, so I won’t go into detail there. :P
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 14: Panic in the Village  
> A little preview: Strange things are happening in the village… Frisk blames it all on Chara…


	14. Panic in the Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spooky things goin' on here...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, I’m sorry I couldn’t get this up yesterday. Unfortunately, I accidentally got myself locked out of my apartment and I couldn’t get back in for a while. XD I wound up staying at this really nice neighbor’s place until I was able to catch the landlady’s son and have him unlock it for me. This is the third time it’s happened and get this: I had my boxer dog Jerry Lee with me every time. Oh my gosh, so embarrassing! 
> 
> I’m so sorry. I’ll upload two chapters today to make up for this mistake. I hope you guys enjoy. I had a lot of fun writing these next chapters (especially the second one… X’D).
> 
>  
> 
> Previously: Description unavailable.

     “Man… August sure went by fast,” Frisk said as she looked out her window.

 

     It had been quite some time, and loads had happened. The village had been on edge due to something new having plagued the village. Everyone was beginning to think that this place was cursed, and that even if they moved out the curse would follow. That part of the rumor was all thanks to the local drunk. She knew that wasn’t the truth. Someone was behind it…

     A month had passed… Chara had been out of sight the entire time. Frisk immediately pinned him to the crimes as soon as she’d seen evidence of the rumor. Ever since that, she’d kept her eyes open for him. Unfortunately, she wasn’t successful in finding him. 

     “Hah…” Frisk turned around and walked over to her closet, her bare feet padding lightly along the wooden floor. She grabbed hold of both handles and slowly pulled down doors open… “Gah!”

 

     Frisk shrieked and fell backwards to the floor, a look of anger on her face as she sat up to see Chara grinning playfully. He was floating off of the ground, his legs bent with his arms at his sides. He flew over to Frisk, his nose barely touching hers as he snickered mischievously.

     “I missed you, my angel…” he whispered. 

     “You!” Frisk spat. She swung a hand at his face, the demon quick to dodge.

     “Here, let me help up.” Chara’s hands had slipped under her arms before she could blink, and Frisk was then shooting up to her feet.

     “Wah! Hey!” She slapped at his hands, both of which came up as he backed away.

     “Whoa! Chill out there, sis! I was just tryna help.”

     “Gugh! You! You bastard!” Frisk’s arms flew down at her sides, her hands balled into fists. “I’ve been looking for you!”

     “Oh? Why’s that?” Chara asked cheekily.

     “Don’t you play coy with me! I know what you’ve been to!” Frisk spat.

     “Hehehehehehehe… Do you now?” Chara slowly took a few steps forward. 

     “You ass-hat!” Frisk threw a hand. There was a loud smacking sound as Chara’s head whipped to the side. 

     “…” Chara didn’t look back at her. He was totally silent.

     “You think this is a joke, don’t you!? The entire village has been shrouded in fear over some crazy rumor that a ghost is haunting our town! I’m gonna give you five seconds to explain yourself before I beat the living shit out of you!” She angrily shoved him in the chest, the demon stumbling back a step. “How DARE you play such a cruel prank on the village! They didn’t do ANYTHING to you!”

     “…” Chara’s head slowly turned to face Frisk. As he looked up… there was a frightening glint in his eye. “… Heh… Looks like my little angel’s gotten tough since we last met… Props to you.” He raised his brows. “Now… my turn~”

     Frisk shrieked as her hands were suddenly snatched and raised high above her head. 

     “Sans isn’t here, is he?” Chara asked quietly. “If not, then that’s good because he can’t find out what’s been going on.”

     Frisk’s eyes widened as Chara smiled sinisterly. His fangs looked sharp as ever… 

     “Oh, you’ve gotten quiet all of a sudden… Hmm…”

     “Gah! Let go of me!” Frisk roared.

     “Oh? Why’s that? So you can beat the shit out of me? Ha, I don’t think so sweetheart.”

     Frisk began to struggle against her captor. “Let me go! You bastard! I’ll kill you! I’ll—”

     “Shut up!” Chara’s nostrils flared as his eyes went wide like saucers. “Shut the fuck up!”

     Frisk froze like a statue, a look of shock on her face. She shivered as his grip on her wrists tightened as he closed in on her.

     “… Heh… You like to blame everything on me, don’t you? You’re so arrogant, you know?”

 

     Frisk yelped as she was forcefully shoved beside the closet, her back pressed uncomfortably against the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut as Chara leaned in and lightly kissed at her neck. The hairs at the back stood on end, a wave of tingling goosebumps rising upon her skin. She winced as his lips trekked around to the front of her throat and up to her cheek before moving back down again. They were pecking at her chin, and then back down to her throat.

     She held still as he moved his hands down her arms, to her shoulders. He shushed her and whispered that he wasn’t here to hurt her, just to show her that she could trust him. Frisk shook her head and told him to back, to which the demon simply giggled as his hands slid all the way down to her hips.

     “… Just relax my little angel…” Chara whispered.

     “Stop it… I’m warning you right now,” Frisk said.

     “Hush… It’ll be alright.”

 

     Frisk squealed as she felt his fingers slip under her top. They were kneading at her skin now. Her trembling hands grabbed at his wrists, but he held strong. She tried kicking at him, but that didn’t do anything either. Was he using his magic to hold her still? No, or else she would have felt it. He was just that strong it seemed.

     “It’s been so long…” Chara breathed into her ear. “Honestly, I wish I could get a taste…”

     “Seriously, Chara… Stop it…” The anger that had flared up within her had vanished like the flame of a candle. “Chara…”

     “Ssssh…” Chara had gently placed a hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry for being so rash with you … I’ve just got a lot on my mind. You really think that I did something here, don’t you? Well, I’ll tell you that I did play the part… but not in the way you think I did.” Chara looked over his shoulder then. “It’s okay… I’ve got her restrained, so you can come out now.”  


A few weeks earlier…

 

     “Got it? You need to make as much noise as possible, and they don’t have to know it’s you. You can stay hidden in the shadows, as well as act as a distraction. Easy.” Chara smiled innocently as he threw his hands up.

     “You can do that, right?”

     “I… I guess so… I… I’ll try…”

     “Good! Get on it then!”

 

     Chara faded into the shadows, leaving him by himself. He was really nervous about doing all this, but if it was for the good of others… Surely it was fine, right? Yeah… Just stay calm and everything will be okay. Just breathe…

     “Okay… I guess I should get started…”

 

…

 

     “Wah!” 

     “What!? What is it!?”

     “Did you see that!?” 

     “Huh!?”  


     Frisk was relaxing at the front deck of her home when she heard the yelling. She shot up and ran down a few houses to see that a woman was hysterical over something about a box. Frisk wandered over and asked what the trouble was, to which the woman trembled as she pointed at the fallen box on the ground before the steps of her own cabin.

     “It was so strange… I mean…” Her voice shook as she spoke. “The box… It was sitting by my door… and then it suddenly flew… over there…”

     A man who was with the woman spoke up. “Are you sure that’s what you saw? Maybe someone came over and threw it when you weren’t looking?” 

     “Yes, I’m sure it was thrown on its own! No one took the box because I was standing right here at the front door. My eyes had just locked on to it and then that was that!”

     Frisk cocked her head to the side, her hands on her hips as she pondered this. “That’s strange… Hmm…” She looked around for a certain someone. He didn’t appear to be here. In fact, it’d been about a month now… Where was he?

     “I don’t understand… I swear… I saw the box move by itself.” The woman was stiff as a board, her eyes wide as the man walked up to her. 

     “Let’s not worry about it, okay? I’m sure it’s fine.”

 

     Frisk watched the man lead the woman back inside. Once they were gone, she turned to the box. It was lying on its side upon the ground, the flaps open with its contents spilling out. She knelt down to investigate it, her hand reaching out to touch the box. Nothing happened. Hmm… She got to her feet and looked around to see if anyone else appeared troubled by the same thing. It appeared to just be the woman. Strange…

…

     There was another incident a few hours after later. Someone claimed that her shower curtain had suddenly taken on a life of its own and tried to wrap itself around her. Another person said that he’d heard something banging inside of his closet, but there was no one there when he opened it. There was even a child who claimed that she’d seen her mother’s kitchen table scoot a few feet over. 

     “Sans… It’s weird. I mean, this has got to be Chara’s doing, and yet he hasn’t shown his face at all. He seems like the type who’d pop up and laugh about it, you know?” Frisk paused as she let the skeleton think this over.

     “Hmm…” He got up from the couch and began pacing calmly around in his living room. “He is the type to gloat over something like this… but he hasn’t…” Sans rubbed at the back of his skull. “Hah…”

     “I guess you’re at a loss, too…” Frisk dejectedly looked down at her lap. “Panic in the village… and there’s nothing we can do…”

     “Well, it hasn’t gotten that bad.”

     “It could, though! Think about it. First, there was the outbreak, and now this.”

     “Frisk.” Sans turned to her with narrowed eye sockets. “Stop freaking out over this. We’ll figure this out.”

     “Sans…” Frisk fell silent as the skeleton put a hand to her head.

     “I’ll look into this, okay? I’ll keep an eye for him.”

     Frisk smiled. “… Thank you…”  
Sans nodded as a smirk formed on his face.

     “Yeah.”

…

     Frisk heard more and more about the mysterious caper of the village. She kept her eyes wide open for any signs of Chara, but the demon seemed to be very good at hiding. She would catch him, though. She could deal with his silly attempts at flirting with her, but terrorizing her village was a big no-no. 

     “Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!”

 

     Frisk was on her feet and running in seconds. She came zipping around the corner of her house, her eyes wide as she and other villagers came to witness the most shocking thing yet. A young man was dangling by his ankle in midair, his arms flailing as he begged for someone to help him. He yelled that something had a hold of him, and it was ice cold. Frisk called for Miss Condrake, who came stumbling over with the assistance of her handy cane. 

     “Goodness me!” the old woman cried as she too saw the man. “What is going on here!?”

     “It’s the work of a phantom! One of our ancestors must have come back to haunt us!” a young woman screamed.

     “You sure this isn’t the work of monsters!?” a man challenged.

     “No,” Miss Condrake said. “It seems that a spirit of the afterlife has come for us.”

     “Help me, please!” the man hanging in the air said. “Please! Get me down! Wah!” The man was suddenly let loose, his back slamming harshly against the ground as his head whipped up.

     “Ghosts are haunting our town!” a little girl shouted.

     “Mommy! I’m scared!” a little boy said as he clung to his mother’s leg.

     “Everyone just calm down!” Miss Condrake cut in. “Everyone go back inside…”

 

     Miss Condrake grew quiet as an army of bed sheets came flying out. Everyone in the village went into a frenzy of fear as the bed sheets began targeting random people. They attempted to swallow their victims, but allowed them to escape before the villagers were consumed entirely. 

     This was like something out of a really bad horror movie. Frisk felt that Chara definitely had a part in this, but she didn’t expect him to go this far. She silently watched various villagers as they were chased around by the bed sheets, her forming rage boiling to the point where she wanted to hunt this demon down and repeatedly bang his head against a tree until the blood was flooding down his battered face. 

     “Ooooooooh, I’m gonna get that bastard,” Frisk growled. 

     “Frisk, we don’t know who did this,” Miss Condrake whispered as she placed a hand on the child’s shoulder. “Let’s not jump to conclusions.”

     “Miss Condrake…” Frisk turned to her with a glare. “He’s got to be the one responsible for this. He thinks it’s funny that the village is running amok like this. I bet he’s mad because I rejected his advances. That bastard’s going to pay!”

     “Frisk, please stop with the vulgar language.”

    “Ugh!” Frisk angrily kicked at the ground before storming off. “He’s not going to get away with this! I’m getting to the bottom of this right now!”

…

     Frisk was like a detective chasing down a perpetrator responsible for a heinous crime. Every time something happened, even the littlest thing, she was on it. Villagers were now living in fear due to this supposed “ghost” that had started haunting the place. 

     “The village is cursed! We’re all doomed!”

 

     The local drunk of the town, simply known as Herbert, was running around like usual with a beer bottle clutched in his hand. His hair messy and clothes dirty, he went on about how everyone had been locked into a horrible fate and that there was nowhere to run. 

     “Mommy? Are we going to the bad place when we die?” a little girl asked one day.

     The woman in question looked down at her daughter. “No honey, just ignore that. We’re doing the best we can to figure this out.”

 

     Frisk sadly watched as the little girl began to cry about how she didn’t want to go to Hell and begged her mother to stop the evil ghost from tricking God into believing all this. The woman then asked how her daughter came up with such an idea, to which the little girl said that Herbert had told her that. Thankfully, there were people around to stop the woman from strangling the drunk man as he accidentally bumped into her. 

     Frisk couldn’t believe this. It had gone way too far. Chara had crossed a major line here… The next time she saw him, she was going to give him what for…

 

… Presently…

 

     “You can come out now… Come on, don’t be shy.” Chara snickered as he looked back at Frisk. “Heh, that look of anger on your face is hilarious.”

     Frisk grunted through his palm.

     “Psh, you don’t scare me…”

     “… Is it… safe? Truly?”

     Frisk’s eyes widened in surprise. 

     “I’m sorry… Please don’t… be angry… with Chara… It was all me… I’m… sorry…”

     Chara’s hand fell away from her gaping mouth. Frisk couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “… Uh…”

     “Hehe~ Frisk, I’d like you to meet someone… He’s a friend of the monsters. Don’t worry, he means you no harm nor anyone else. Hell, he wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Chara winked at the floating being before them. “Right, Blooky?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I finally got to Napstablook! I’m so happy. :3 I love this precious little bean. Well, go on to the next chapter. He’s waitin’ for ya. 
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 15: Spooky Blooky  
> A little preview: Frisk meets Napstablook… Things don’t go over well… ^^’’’


	15. Spooky Blooky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bloooooooooooo...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spooky Blooky ghostly time, send shivers down your spine. Spine... SPINE!
> 
>  
> 
> Previously: Paranormal events start happening around the village, and so people begin thinking the place is cursed. Frisk believes Chara is the cause… Well, she was partially right.

     “…” Frisk stared back at the ghostly apparition now quivering before her. “Uh…”

     “Frisk, I’d like you to meet Napstablook. Napstablook, this is Frisk,” Chara said proudly. “Heh~”

     The thing floating a ways from the two shuddered. “Ngh…” His voice was soft, and he sounded like a young child. “Hello… there…”

 

     Frisk thought that maybe it was just a floating sheet, but no… It was an actual… ghost… of some sort. Just a simple, white transparent sheet with large pale blue eyes surrounded by dark rings and a small mouth… He wore a light blue nightcap atop his head, the trimming white like the small pom-pom on the end. To Frisk, it was like a cute little Santa hat. 

     “Um… hello?” Frisk asked hesitantly.  
The ghost, Napstablook stared blankly back at her. 

     “Why’s he staring at me like that?” Frisk whispered to Chara. “It’s creepy, like you.”

     Napstablook blinked before… “*sniff*… Eh…”

     Frisk and Chara both looked at the ghost questioningly.

     “Eh… Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!” Out of nowhere, Napstablook began to cry, his phantom tears phasing through the floor as they rained upon it.

     “Now look what you did!” Chara exclaimed. “You made him cry!”

     “What!? Me!?” Frisk retaliated. “I didn’t make him cry!” 

     “Yes you did! You hurt his feelings!”  
Frisk puffed her cheeks in frustration.

     “Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!! She doesn’t like me!!!!!! She thinks I’m creeeeepppyyyyyyyy!!!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeheeeeeeeeeeeeeh!!!!!!!!!!!! Waaaaaaahaaaahaaaaa!!!!!!” 

     “No! I’m sorry! Please! Please stop crying!” Frisk begged.

     “Waaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!! You hate me because I terrorized your village!!!! Chara made me do it!!!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

 

     Chara nervously bit down on his lower lip as Napstablook ratted him out. Frisk then looked at him with an expression that spoke of deadly wishes toward the demon boy. Chara giggled hesitantly, his fingers tapping against his chin as he asked if Frisk was willing to behave so he could let her go (he still had one hand holding both of hers still, and his grip was really tight). Frisk nodded, her glowering look never faltering.

     “Napstablook… I’m sorry for making you cry. Please stop,” Frisk said.

     “Waaaaaaaaahaaaaaaa!!!!!” Napstablook wailed.

     “Please! Stop! I’m sorry…”  
“Waaaaaaaah… Heeeeeegh…” Napstablook paused, his lips quivering as the tears ran down his strange face.

     “Please don’t cry… I’m sorry.” Frisk smiled shyly. “You seem like a good person…”

     “… Re… Really?” he asked quietly.

     “Yeah.” Frisk shot Chara a deadly glare before turning back to Napstablook with a softer expression. “I’m sorry… Can you forgive me?”

     “Do you forgive me?” Napstablook asked.

     “Of course.”

     “… Mmm… Okay…” Napstablook said quietly. 

     “Good, now that we’re on good terms…” Chara turned to Frisk. “How’s about I clear things up a bit?”

     Frisk smiled warmly at Chara for a moment.

     “…?” Chara cocked his head. “You’ve never— GAH!!!!!!” Chara collapsed to the floor upon his knees, his hands between his legs.

     “Hmph,” Frisk grumbled.

     “Guess that makes us even…” Chara rasped as he quivered at Frisk’s feet.

     “Oh dear…” Napstablook whispered.

     “He deserved it, Napstablook. He tricked me into making you cry.”

     “I did no such thing!” 

     “Eh...” Napstablook’s eyes began to tear up again. 

     “You made me believe that you were the one responsible!” Frisk shrieked. “Therefore, you tricked me! And, due to my anger toward you, I made him cry!” 

     “That is not my fault! You did this to yourself!” Chara spat back.

     “… Ngh… Eh… Heh…” Napstablook was shuddering.

     “You’re such a pervy troublemaker!” Frisk yelled.

     “Oh yeah, look who’s talkin’!?” Chara challenged. “You’re no white lily either! You get yourself into all kinds of trouble!”

     “Not like that!” 

     “Ha! It doesn’t take much sweetheart!”

     “You would know!”

     “Hey, don’t accuse me of sleepin’ around!”

     “So you DO only think with your penis!”

     “WAAAAAAAAAH!?”

     “Yeah, that’s right! I said it!”

     “Oh ho no! You are sadly mistaken there, miss. Well, unless you like to think about me… Haaaaaaaaaah…”

     “WHAT!?”

     “Oh, it was a joke!”

     “That ain’t no joke at all!”

     “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh…”

     Frisk and Chara both looked at Napstablook. “Oh no…”

      _“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”_ Napstablook was crying again, making both Frisk and Chara feel like scums of the earth.

     “Napstablook! No! I’m sorry!” Frisk shouted. “Please! Don’t cry! It’s Chara’s fault!”  
“Why the hell is it my fault!?” Chara shrieked.    _“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!! You two are fighting because of meeeeeeeeheeeeeheeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!”_

     “Oh god, kill me now,” Chara muttered. 

     “Pfft, I wish He would,” Frisk responded. 

     “Haaaaah!?” 

    _“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!! DEATH THREATS ARE MY FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!!!”_

     Frisk and Chara both fell to the floor in defeat at that last statement…

…

     A couple hours had passed. Napstablook had finally calmed down and was now eating a cookie Frisk had offered him. The ghost had a pair of tiny nubs for hands, both holding the cookie to his mouth as he nibbled on it. Frisk and Chara were both watching him intently, Frisk with a curious look on her face and Chara with an annoyed look on his face.

     “So… Napstablook,” Frisk began hesitantly, “how long have you been around?”

     “Mmm… Nom… A little while… Hundreds of years… in fact…” Napstablook mumbled.

     “I see.”

     Chara snorted, his elbow propped on one of his crossed legs with his chin resting upon his hand. 

     Frisk glared at him. “What? You got something you want to say?”

     Chara smiled devilishly. Heh… Later.”

     “He likes you…” Napstablook said quietly.

     “Eh!” Frisk’s face turned bright red as Chara laughed.

     “Sorry…” A light pink blush flashed across Napstablook’s face.

     “No, it’s okay…” Frisk said quickly. “I just… I’m not too fond of this one.”

     “I see… He can be a bit pervy.” 

     “Hey!” Chara cried.

     “It’s the truth…” Napstablook whispered. “… He thinks only with his ‘yes-yes stick’.”

     “Hi-his what!?” Frisk’s eyes went wide as a smile broke across her face. “I’m sorry!?”

     “His ‘yes-yes stick’… I’m not comfortable saying the real word…” Napstablook said.

     This time Chara’s face turned bright red. 

     “Whahy dohoo you cahall it thahat!?” Frisk asked through several giggles. 

     “Because… when he looks at you, he’s always happy and says ‘yes’ to thoughts of you. Sometimes, he’ll clench his knees together with his hand—”

     “Okay, okay!” Chara suddenly chimed in, his hands raised up in front of him. “Moving on! New topic!”

     Frisk turned to stare at Chara with an evil look. 

     Chara looked like he just died inside. 

     “Uh oh… I don’t think I was supposed to say that…” Napstablook mumbled. 

     “Nah, it’s cool…” Frisk said. “At least now I got something on him.”

     “Sometimes, he wishes it was you…”

     “Napstablook!” Chara shrieked.

     “Oops…” Napstablook said as his eyes began to water.

     “So, Napstablook… You’re the one responsible for these strange happenings. Why? Spill it.” Frisk leaned in toward the ghost from her place upon the couch next to Chara. “What’s going on?”

     Napstablook looked at Chara fearfully, who nodded as he formed the symbol for “okay” with his hand. 

     “Tell me.”

     Napstablook sighed. “… It’s… It’s for protection… for your village. He doesn’t want anyone to suspect anything…”

     “So he gets them to think that this place is cursed!?” Frisk exclaimed.

     “No! No, no!” Napstablook said hurriedly. “That wasn’t the intention… You see… he wants us to… to…” Napstablook fell silent as he quivered before the two. “Um…”

     “Hah… I’ll take over now, thanks.” Chara turned to face Frisk. “You see, Frisk, we’re trying to keep the village from putting us under the radar. There’s something going on… and it has to do with the thing that got away after Asriel’s soul…” Chara’s hands clenched upon his lap as he looked away.

     “Something evil came about… right?” Frisk asked.

     “Yes…” Chara looked back at Frisk. “… It’s a flower…”

     Frisk frowned. “Huh?”

     “Yes… It’s a no-no flower…” Napstablook whispered. 

     Frisk eyed the ghost curiously.

     “It’s the thing that got away… It took the form of something simple, something that can hide in broad daylight.” Chara got up and walked around the small table set before the couch. “… I don’t like flowers much because of it…”

     Napstablook nodded. “Yes… It’s scary… Sometimes, it calls me ‘Spooky Blooky’… I don’t like that… I hate spooky things…” Napstablook whimpered as he covered his eyes with his nubby hands.

     “Aw, Napstablook…” Frisk scooted forward and attempted to comfort the ghost, but her caressing hand phased through his head. 

     “… I didn’t want to scare your people… but Chara said I had to in order to keep their minds off of the monsters.”

     “I see. So, you were trying to distract them.” Frisk looked over at Chara. “Now I get it…”

     “Yeah.” Chara crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s why.”

     “Why would you put him through that if he clearly didn’t want to?” Frisk asked.

     “Because he was the only ghost we had, and I was busy. Heh… If I was the one doing it all, you’d have been right.”

     Frisk rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to Napstablook. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I’m sure that things will work out. Miss Condrake told the villagers it wasn’t a monster anyway. Once things blow over, she can reassure them.”

     “Frisk, it’s not that simple,” Chara said. “He needs to keep up this charade whether he likes it or not. If he doesn’t, then the villagers will surely see what’s going on behind the trees.”

     “You’re kidding, right? You’re willing to force someone to terrorize others just so they don’t suspect something that they’re already aware exists?” Frisk stood up. “I don’t think so!”

     “You don’t understand…” Chara said. “We need you to help us. And, if the villagers are fearful of the true evil, then that makes it that much easier for that said evil to take over. If they’re all afraid, it’ll feed on that fear they all provide with their souls.”

     “Still!” Frisk shouted, “it’s wrong!”

     “P-please don’t yell…” Napstablook whimpered. “It’s so scary…”

     “Oh, sorry Napstablook…” Frisk said quietly, a sheepish smile forming on her face.

     “It’s okay…”

     “Frisk, can I talk to you please? Alone?” Chara asked, his words a bit forced.

     “No, you may not. I don’t trust you. How do I know you’re not gonna pull out your ‘yes-yes stick’?” Frisk challenged, her arms crossing over her chest as she glared at him.

     Chara snarled, his upper lip curling as his eyes narrowed. “… This is not the time to be stubborn.”

     Frisk gave a huff before abruptly standing and following Chara outside. “What?” she snapped.

     “Listen to me.” Chara had a serious look on his face. “You’d better not say a word, cuz if you do… you have no idea of the consequences that you’ll have caused.”

     “Really?”

     “Frisk… We’re trying to protect them by taking their minds off of the monsters and the awful threat that is working to take us all out!”

     Frisk frowned in confusion. “All of us?”

     “Yes… Just trust me here.” Chara’s expression softened. “Please…” He slowly reached over and grabbed her hands. “You don’t understand how much I care about you… I love you… so much…”

     Frisk’s eyes slightly widened. She had that warm feeling within her chest again. “Um…”

 

     Chara leaned in toward her, his lips slowly closing in on hers. Frisk wanted to fight back… but all she could do was stare into those crimson orbs that beckoned her vision closer. She shivered as his hands massaged hers, his cool touch igniting a tingling sensation within her skin. She held her breath as his lips locked with hers, her eyes closing along with his. 

     The two of them stood upon her front deck, neither one moving as a gentle breeze blew by. Total silence… Chara pulled away after a few moments, his eyes fluttering open as Frisk looked back at him. Her cheeks were flushed a light pink, her eyes half-lidded. Her breathing was gentle but heavy. 

     “… Frisk…” Chara whispered.

     “…” Frisk couldn’t make words. Her mind was fuzzy, her legs quivering a bit.

     Chara lifted a hand from hers and caressed the side of her face. “… You understand now, don’t you?”

     Frisk found herself nodding. 

     “Good. Don’t tell anyone. I promise you… I’ll fill you in with all the details soon…” Chara’s hand fell away. “Now… let’s get back inside.”

     “… Okay…”

 

     Frisk followed after Chara without hesitation, her arms lifeless at her sides. She didn’t know what to think. She hated this boy, and yet somehow when he pulled away it was agonizing. Here she was now, sitting down on the couch next to him before Napstablook, who was trembling as he mumbled something under his breath.

     “… Did… it work out?” he managed to ask.

     “Yeah…” Frisk said. “Just… don’t go overboard, okay?”

     “Only do what you need to do,” Chara said.

     “Okay…”

 

…

 

     “So… he was the one responsible…” Sans said. “I see now…”

     “He’s not harming them in any way. You have to trust us.”

     “Hah… Alright, fine. But, if Frisk or Emma or anyone else gets hurt, even just a little bit, that’s it. New plan.”

     “You don’t have to worry. No one will get hurt.”

     “Seriously, though, what is the point in this?”

     “Those humans are smarter than you think. They see things… I just need them distracted long enough for me to finish setting things up for them.”

     “I sure hope you know what you’re doing.”

     “You know me…”

 

     Sans stared back at the figure before him. He was the one person that Sans knew he could trust. Sometimes, though, he could be a bit… secretive, and that made the skeleton nervous. However, he wouldn’t argue. He had to keep his mind on what was more important, that being the village and Frisk. 

     “… Frisk…” Sans looked over his shoulder out the window. “Chara better not have done anything to her.”

     “She’s fine.”

     “She better be… That kid means the world to me.”

     “I know.”

 

…

 

     “I have the soul of Innocence,” Napstablook said. “You can tell, can’t you?”

     “Yeah… I’m picking up on more and more of your soul,” Frisk said. 

     “He’s always been like that,” Chara said.

     “… Yeah…”

     “I think it’s cute.”

     “Mhm. I think you’re cute, you know. GAH!!!!!!”

     “Uh oh.”

     “Pervert.”

     “YOWCH!!!!!! Why’d you hit me like that!?”

     “She doesn’t like you.”

     “Heh~”

     “She’ll fall for me someday… YAAAAAAAAH!!!!!! LET GOOOOO!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAH!!!! NOT THE HAIR!!!! THAT HURTS!!!!!!”

     “Humans are so violent…”

     “YOU’RE SUCH AN IDIOT!!!!!! IF I HAD A BAT, I’D BEAT YOU OVER THE HEAD WITH IT!!!!!!!!”

     “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!”

     “Bloooooooooooo…”

 

     … Frisk spent the next ten minutes aggressively abusing Chara before Sans showed up and had to yank her off of him. The demon scurried to safety while Napstablook fled to the corner of the room as an embarrassing mess… *sigh* Someday, she’ll get that temper of hers under control…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shakin’ mah head* Yeah… Chara kinda had this comin’. Don’t worry, there’s more to it. ;) 
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 16: Old Wounds Reopened
> 
> A little preview: Sometimes, repressing anger isn’t the best thing to do because it will come out. Keep it bottled up inside and it will only hurt that much more.


	16. Old Wounds Reopened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pain bottled up inside will break out...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, how have you been? Sorry it’s taken me so long to get new chapters out. I haven’t really been in the best of mindset lately. This year’s been rough, and last year sure as hell was too. As for the year before that… I’d rather not… discuss that one… Things are getting better, though (finally). Hah… To be honest, I just want this year over with so that I can start fresh. I’m tired… I’m ready for 2018 to be over. 
> 
> I’ve got some cool stuff planned, some of which was supposed to be uploaded here, but my motivation went down the drain for a while so… ugh. I’ll get around to that soon… hopefully. I’ve decided not to take on too much at once. I’m only one person, and I have to remember that. Oh yeah, and I wrote all these latest chapters out with injured pinkies (I rubbed them raw trying to tie these winter boots I had, the laces caused serious rope burns; RIP pinkies). 
> 
> Previously: Frisk meets Napstablook, a kind and friendly ghost who turns out to be the cause of the strange happenings in town (I actually found out that Napstablook was non-binary, but I made it easier on myself by calling them “he”).

     He paced around, alone, in the whimsical throne room he and his wife had set up so long ago. It was so frustrating… Why couldn’t she just listen for once!? He let out a small roar as he kicked at a patch of golden flowers, the angry tears streaming down his greying fur. Gah, it was painful enough having his son physically there but comatose. His wife had now grown distant, but of her own accord. He gave a sigh at the thought. No point in getting flustered over it… Things had already been said. 

     He slowly preceded forward, the grass softly crunching beneath his massive feet as he approached the enormous mirror that was set against a tree. Chara thought that it would be a good idea to have one in case the wife wanted to make sure she looked nice. It was a useful item to have. Even the king found himself using it at times.

“…”

 

     He looked exhausted. Jesus… His white fur had long since turned a faint shade of grey, the wrinkles evident beneath his silver eyes. The black fur clad to his head and around his furry face was matted and unkempt. God, even his large silver horns looked like they could use a good sprucing up. They looked dingy.

     He raised a giant paw to fix the collar of his black tunic, his long white cape clad around his form. He also made adjustments to his brown belt, his black pants a bit too loose for his comfort. Once he was done, he tapped the right toe of his heavy purple boot. His floppy ears twitched as he attempted a smile.

     “Hah… Toriel…” He looked down at the ground, a frown replacing the smile on his face. “… I didn’t mean to hurt you… I’m sorry…” He looked up toward the sky. “Hah… Hopefully, you can forgive me someday.”

 

… One hour earlier…

 

     The queen hummed a tune to herself as she watered the array of flowers surrounding her. The tall goat woman smiled as she spotted a few of the monster children playing around together. They looked so happy.

     The tall goat monster flicked a floppy ear, her short white horns shining in the sunlight. A gentle breeze whisked her white fur, her long black gown lightly blowing to the side. Her draping sleeves fell down her forearms as she raised the watering can up to the vine of roses tangled around the stone structure before her. She blinked her bright pink eyes, her long lashes waving up and down in unison.

     “Toriel…” That voice…

     The goat woman set down the watering can before turning to her husband. “Yes… Asgore?” Her smile had faded. “What is the matter?”

     Asgore rubbed at the back of his head. “Toriel… I’m sorry… I hope I’m not bothering you.”

     “Not at all… Please…” She beckoned him forth. “What brings you here?”

     “Well, I do have a right to walk where I please in these parts…” Asgore crossed his muscular arms over his bulky chest. “Unless, there was a new rule put in place without my knowledge?”

     “No, but I will keep that in mind…”

     “Toriel… Honestly…”

     “What do you want from me, Asgore?”

     “What I want is an apology.”

     “For what?”

     “You know what.”

     “Please enlighten me.”

     “Hah… Fine… You told me that it was my fault.”

     “What was your fault?”

     “The cause of our situation!”

     “Oh… that. Yes, I do believe so.”

     “I didn’t cause it!”

     “Oh really?”

     The monster children had turned to look toward the source of the sudden commotion. They all looked at each other nervously before scampering away.

 

     The air had become stagnant, the tension between the king and queen quite adamant. The two predatorily circled each other from a safe distance away, both pairs of eyes locked with each other. Toriel’s upper lip curled, a low growl erupting from within Asgore’s throat. Both possessed icy glares as their eyes narrowed together. 

     “Don’t start this now, Asgore… You won’t win…” Toriel snarled.

     “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re all bark and no bite,” Asgore snapped.

     “Oh? Am I now? What about that bite mark on your neck from a few weeks ago? Remember that?”

     “How could I forget? You and your abusive ways…”

     “You started it! You sparked that fire a long time ago, right after our son became a husk of his original self!”

     “How dare you call our son a husk!”

     “You know it’s true!” Toriel roared. “On top of that, you wanted to fight the humans, and you quickly became enraged during the days that nothing was accomplished! You took it out on me when you had nothing else!”

     “I didn’t mistreat you! You were the one to start the argument!”

     “Oh, so it’s my fault.”

     “No! It’s not! The humans are the cause of our ordeal!”

     “Asgore! Look around you! The humans didn’t cause this!” Toriel spread her arms out.

     “They didn’t do this! You did!”

     “What are you talking about!?” Asgore demanded. “The humans had murdered that child! She only wanted to befriend that boy, and because of that she was shot down! Our people wanted justice, so I gave them that!”

     “But at what cost!? Many lives were lost!”

     “Not just on our side, they suffered too!”

     “That’s how you always see it! You always have to be the one on top!”

     “You’re damn right! I always have been, and I always will be!” Asgore stormed right up to his wife and snatched her wrist, her eyes wide with shock. “And don’t you forget it…” Asgore stared deep into her eyes, his glare piercing her frightened gaze. “I’m always going to have power over everyone, and that includes you… You chose to be my partner for life, till death tears that to shreds. You will not disobey me… or there will be consequences.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “As long as you’re by my side, you will see that I am the one who has the final word because I am the alpha, not you.”

     Toriel frowned. “The power has gone to your head. You’re pathetic! You hear me!? Pathetic! Path—!!!”

*smack*

     Toriel stumbled back, a shaking paw rising to her face. Her eyes wide, she blankly stared back at Asgore. 

     “Shut your defiant mouth at once!” Asgore declared in a rage. “I am the king! Not you! I call the shots around here! You want to express your own opinions then do so elsewhere! I am not about to listen to you rant over useless drama from the past!”

     Toriel teared up. “Useless drama… from the past?” She shook her head. “Asgore…”

     Asgore’s expression of fury suddenly softened as he realized what he’d said. “… Oh god… Toriel… I…”

     “Just… leave me alone… please…” Toriel whispered as she turned around.

     “Toriel, I—”

     “I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!”

 

     Asgore backed away, panic flashing across his face as Toriel took off in a sprint, her pained sobs quickly fading into the silence. His head suddenly felt heavy, it hanging low as he tiredly turned himself around and sluggishly walked away. Old wounds reopened… Old wounds that had tried to heal… only to be ripped fresh and bloody… No matter how much he licked at them… they would never heal… and neither would the ones he left on his wife’s body long ago…

 

… Presently…

 

     Toriel sat upon the boulder, her hands in her lap as she stared off into space. Her eyes were lacking in life, both half-lidded as she thought back to what Asgore had said to her. Useless drama… How could he say such a thing? She trembled as a hand ran up her arm, her own claws grazing along the fabric that hid the scars. She’d tried countless times to forget that it had ever happened… but there was no wiping such moments from her memory, not unless there was a miracle. She bit at her bottom lip with her incisors, gently so as not to break skin. 

     She knew that Asgore never meant to harm her, but… he still did it. There was no escaping that. It was so painful, what he’d done to her… She’d begged him to come back to his senses, but it was like he was a total stranger. Her Asgore, the one that she’d vowed to die for, was not the person who had stood over her at those times, who’d raised a giant paw, sharp claws striking through her like a pair of scissors to ribbon. Countless attempts to flee, countless attempts failed… She shuddered at the mental images of her crawling away on paws and knees, her clothes tattered and fur stained red.

     “What happened to you… my love?” she whispered in a quivering voice. “Asgore… Why did you leave me?” A single tear fell down her cheek. “Asgore…”

 

     Two spirits brought together in holy matrimony, now torn apart by grief and revenge… Mending this broken bond was rendered impossible. It was only a matter of time before both would succumb to the darkness that threatened to pull them into its everlasting embrace…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O. O M’kay, I didn’t… I didn’t actually plan for this chapter to be so dark. It just… kind of happened… 
> 
> Anyway, I updated the profile section of my DA page. There is now a progress thing there. Right now, it just says that I have five new chapters planned. I’ll… update with better info when future chapters are being prepared. Also, quick question: if I started up a social media page purely for writing, would anyone be interested in it?
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 17: The Heat of True Love Gone Cold
> 
> A little preview: He felt like the luckiest guy in the world when he met her. She felt the same way about him, too. However… war was what tore them apart.


	17. The Heat of True Love Gone Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story of two becoming one... and then falling apart as none.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s some backstory on how Asgore and Toriel met. I want this AU to be as real as possible, so I thought I’d whip this up. Plus, the last chapter was extremely short… 
> 
> Previously: Asgore and Toriel are introduced, and tensions are high between them…

     Asgore was born to a pair of wealthy parents who held conservative ideals. His father was very strict with him, his words always stern as he “ruled the roost”. His mother was very compliant with his father, and so the couple rarely fought over anything. She taught important morals and values to their son, while he taught strength and dominance. Asgore grew to be a very respectable young man with a fierce and strong heart, his parents overseeing their offspring transform into a well-suited ruler and, when his time came to take the throne, they left him with warm regards before ascending to the world above.   


     Toriel was born to a pair of commoner parents who held more free-spirited ideals. Her father was very relaxed with her, his words always encouraging as he ventured the outdoors. Her mother was much like her father, and so the couple were seen outdoors daily with their daughter. She taught freedom and kindness to their daughter, while he taught knowledge and wisdom. Toriel grew to be a very caring young woman with a gentle and tender heart, her parents overseeing their offspring transform into a vibrant spirit and, when her time came to grasp adulthood at the fullest, they left her with warm regards before ascending to the world above.

…

     Asgore met Toriel shortly after he’d claimed the title of “ruler”. His parents had told him that in order for him to truly feel accomplished he must find the perfect partner to rule by his side. That was when he laid eyes on Toriel. She was a believer of love and compassion, of freedom and forgiveness. Asgore felt that he could form great chemistry with her, for he possessed similar ideas. And so, he made it his mission to win the heart of his chosen maiden, and it didn’t take long for her to fall head over heels for him.

     The two met on a breezy summer day. Toriel was sitting outside of the cave she called home, much like the other monsters with their own humble abodes. She was on the ground painting something with some colorful liquids she’d created with the use of wild berries. Five little bowls, each with a different color, were placed around her. Her furry fingers dipped into each of the colors and smeared against the earth. 

     Asgore observed her form. What a beautiful sight she was to behold. Her adorable round face, those gently crafted horns atop her head, and those glimmering pink eyes that popped with the sleeveless pink gown she wore… Asgore wondered where she had gotten such fabric. It was deer skin, nor fur from bear or moose. Asgore looked himself over. He was clothed in ragged furs, a shoulder piece made of moose fur and a makeshift suit of buck skin. His boots were put together with lion, the fur trimming around the upper half of the boots and thick layers of skin making up the lower half. Around his waist was a belt made from snake skin. 

     “She looks so much better than I,’ Asgore said. “I wonder… what she will think of me?” Asgore took in a deep breath before, after some time, worked up the courage to walk up to her say, “Hello.”

     Toriel looked up, her eyes wide. “Oh… Hello…”

     “Hi…” Asgore mumbled. “Um… What are you doing there?”

     “Oh, I’m just painting…” Toriel gave a warm smile. “Would you like to join me?”

     “Oh… I’m not very good at painting. In fact, I haven’t even heard of such a thing.”

 

     Asgore was raised to follow the natural order of monsters. He was used to participating in the ceremonial rituals and training sessions in order to thrive. He had been taught to hunt with only a bow and arrow. Toriel, meanwhile, was raised to be mellow and more evasive. She was used to staying close to home and helping to tend to little ones with the other females while the males went out to hunt. Toriel had learned many things through this life. Some of the other female monsters claimed that the humans did many creative things, and painting was one of them. 

     “I learned that painting was something that humans do,” Toriel said. “Ever since I was little, I’d enjoyed painting.”

     “Do you know how to hunt? I know how to do that,” Asgore said. 

     “Mmm, I do but my father took care of that.”

     “I see.”

     “Yes…”

     Asgore nervously clasped his massive paws together. “Your… clothing… It’s very… pretty…”

     “Oh, why thank you. One of my friends had put this together. She’d discovered some creatures while exploring some time ago. She’s a traveler, and she’d come across some creature called sheep. She didn’t harm them. She was only interested in the fur clad to their backs. She said it was called wool.”

     “I see… and so she made that dress with it.”

     “Yes… It’s very soft. She’s found many materials such as that.” Toriel’s smile widened a bit. “It’s more comfortable for me, because I can avoid wearing the skin of a defeated animal.”

     Asgore cleared his throat. “Are you… currently looking for a mate?”

     “A mate?” Toriel’s ears perked up a bit. 

     “Yes… You see… I am the current leader of this pack. My parents… They were chosen as the alphas due to their impressive skills.”

     “Oh yes! You’re Asgore. Yes, the son of Asmond and Malagore. I’m sorry to hear of their passing.”

     “It’s alright. It is my time to rise and prove my worth for this world.” Asgore came closer and knelt down before her. “What is your name, hmm?”

     “Toriel,” she said, “daughter of Torak and Ariel.”

     “Toriel… What a lovely ring that has.” Asgore smiled. “It’s beautiful… much like yourself.”

     “Why… thank you.” A light blush formed across her face. “That is very thoughtful of you…”

     “Toriel.” Another deep voice suddenly rang out.

     Both goat monsters’ heads swiveled to look toward the massive bull-looking monster.

     “Toriel… I have returned…” 

 

     This monster was much taller than Asgore, and he possessed even muscular limbs. His fur was a dark brown, his long black horns extending high from his head, the tips as sharp as spears. His crimson eyes narrowed, his bulky muzzle wrinkling as he revealed two rows of very sharp teeth. He was clothed only in dark brown pants made from buck skin, his boots collected from the furs of bear. 

     “You…” The bull monster pointed a threatening clawed-finger toward Asgore. “Step away from her. She is mine.”

     “Oh… Is that so?” Asgore stood up, Toriel now fearfully looking at the both of them.

     “Please,” Toriel begged, “let’s not fight. I’m sure we can settle this.” She looked toward the bull. “Grolore, please don’t do this. He was just talking to me. Besides, I haven’t decided whether to claim you or not as my mate.”

     “You are destined to be with me,” Grolore stated. “You will be my mate.”

     “She has the right to choose.” Asgore took a step forward. “Do you honestly think you can just waltz up and snatch away such a prominent specimen of the female monster? She is a beauty who must be handled with care.”

     “Oh… Look at you.” Grolore’s eyes scanned over Asgore. “I see… You’re the son of the two alphas who recently passed.” He snorted. “You may as well back off now. She has already been claimed.”

     “That’s what you think…” Asgore took a threatening step toward Grolore. “How about we settle this?”

     Toriel clapped her paws to her mouth as she watched the two males close in on each other.

 

     Grolore let out a low growl, Asgore snarling before the former lunged for him. Both pairs of horns locked with one another, eyes locked as they fought to claim dominance over one another. Claws raked through each other’s skin, fur ripped and blood spilled.

     The fight only lasted a short time, Asgore emerging as the victor. Grolore was lying on the ground, dozens of bloody lesions and bite marks embedded in his torn skin, patches of his fur missing. Asgore was panting, his body racked with pain much like his opponent. Toriel shot up and ran to his side as he collapsed upon his knees. Meanwhile, Grolore stumbled to his feet and stared the two down. 

     “I see…” Grolore breathed. “I… I was wrong… I… I will let you off… You… have proven… yourself… worthy…” He turned around. “I… I will still fight for her… I will return… and others will come too…” Grolore limped away then, not another word uttered.

     “Goodness… You were so valiant! So powerful!” Toriel helped Asgore to his feet.

     “Please, let me tend to your wounds. It’s the least I can do for you.”

     “Toriel…” Asgore turned to her with a battered face and smiled. “… If it is alright with you… I’d like to be your mate…”

     Toriel grinned. “You’re very sweet… and you’re so protective… How can I say no?”

 

     Ever since that day, the pair was inseparable. As Grolore had said, he’d returned to try and wrench Toriel from Asgore’s grasp. However, the latter proved that he was to be Toriel’s mate. Many other males challenged him as well, but every time Asgore emerged victorious. He suffered several injuries in the beginning, some that had threatened to silence him for good. Over time, though, he came out less and less shattered and bruised, and soon after he left with hardly a scratch at all. He was determined to keep Toriel by his side, and that was what he did.

     The two, after a year of enduring the grueling battles of mate-claiming, came together in holy matrimony, Toriel marking herself as Asgore’s mate.

…

     Toriel found it difficult to play such a strong role. Asgore was quite firm with those who committed wrongdoings, though she was able to play her cards right and soften punishments each time. Sometimes, however, she’d needed to set aside her gentler tone and adapt to a much stronger one.

     Toriel had learned from Asgore that kindness sometimes allowed others to walk all over her if she didn’t stand up to those who needed to be knocked down a few feet. Asgore was the voice that would cheer her on when she felt hesitant to act, the one person who knew when to stand up and fight. Asgore was so strong and noble, and it was thanks to his parents that he’d turned out that way he’d said. She was mystified at his ability to instantly overpower those who felt they were superior. Over time, she’d developed a sense of firmness she could turn to when necessary. She’d proven that she too was a force to be reckoned with.

     Meanwhile, Asgore discovered that it was not easy having a second voice of opinion. Toriel was always trying to negotiate, and somehow always successfully accomplished her goal, when it came to those who required punishment in order to pay for crimes committed.

     Asgore learned from Toriel that sometimes forgiveness was the right choice, and some didn’t deserve such harsh treatment if the crime committed was not that bad. She was the light to his darkness when he felt trapped, the one person who knew where to go when lost. She possessed so much knowledge and wisdom about the world, and it was all thanks to her parents she’d said. Asgore was fascinated by her ways of healing others who were hurt, her words always gentle but somehow convincing. Over time, he’d become more and more like her, adapting to a more subtle course of action rather than slamming down an iron fist.

 

     The two bounced off of each other, both blossoming into stronger versions of themselves through the use of each other’s ideals as they ruled the kingdom together. Two very different people, brought together through the power of fate and love… It was a beautiful creation the two had together, and it only got better when their love transformed into that of a healthy baby boy, that which they named Asriel. What a wondrous time, and what a tremendous kingdom to raise him in…

…

     Asgore and Toriel taught their son everything they’d known, and so Asriel grew into a combination of both sets of ideals, the embodiment of kindness and strength. However, because he was still so young, he was not totally aware of the world around him. Asgore was born with the soul of Justice, while Toriel was born with the soul of Kindness. Their son, Asriel, possessed the soul of Innocence.

     He developed more of his mother’s personality rather than his father’s, though he demonstrated at times (quite awkwardly) that he could be tough. He always worked to achieve this when his father was around, for he wanted to make him proud. As for his mother, he made sure to be the most polite and respectable boy he could be. There were times, though, when both proved to be a challenge. This was because of a certain someone who’d popped into his life out of nowhere…

…

     Monster life was thrown into turmoil the day that a young monster girl was struck down by a group of male humans who thought she was trying to harm a little human boy. The parents were distraught with this sudden loss, and so they turned to the king and queen for vengeance. The queen was hesitant, but the king was vigilant. The war broke out shortly after, and that’s when things fell apart. Asgore became a different person, someone who Toriel grew to fear. 

     Countless monster lives were lost, and Asgore became more and more hell-bent on destroying the humans. Unfortunately, because he couldn’t reach the humans easily, he mindlessly targeted his wife. Little Asriel would cower in the corner of his room, his adoptive sibling hugging him close as he whispered comforting words while the two were forced to endure the muffled screams and pleas for mercy beyond the door they hid behind. Things crashed, slammed to the floor.

     Toriel knew that he was only in a blind rage, but it didn’t change the fact that he had become the one thing he swore he would not. Deep down inside, he was always a monster much like everyone else, a wild animal that could only turn to instinct when unsure of how to deal with certain situations. His parents hadn’t taught him the calmer side of life, and so Toriel worked hard to help him break free from the shackles that bound him to a troubled mindset. She was unsuccessful at times, though she did catch a lucky break here and there.

…

     Toriel and Asgore truly broke when Asriel sacrificed himself in an attempt to stop the war. He miraculously survived thanks to Chara, though a part of him was lost. Asgore then officially declared the humans sworn enemies to the monsters. He stated that all humans would perish. Shortly after, they were sealed Underground, and Asgore vowed vengeance once he and his people broke free. Toriel was beyond grief-stricken, her mind now clouded with despair.

…

     Toriel didn’t spare the humans that fell into the Underground through curiosity. She watched them all turn to nothing but ugly remains, their souls collected as trophies and used to break the Barrier, the only thing blocking them from freedom. Asgore was long gone at this point, and so she too decided to succumb to the disease known simply as hate. She and Asgore were going to avenge the loss of their son, as well as monsters who’d given their lives for their people.

…

     Toriel and Asgore had grown distant from each other. Both would only address one another when necessary. The heat of true love gone cold, that flame had long since been extinguished. They’d become total strangers to each other, and that was how it had been since. Two people brought together by love and strength, only to be ripped apart by war and loss. A tragic end to a tragic tale…

 

…

 

     “… Why… Why did it have to turn out this way?” He sighed as he observed the king and queen. Both were in tears. “… Toriel… Asgore… I… Hah…” There was nothing he could do… He knew that. “Chara… Sans…” He looked up at the sky. “… I hope that this works out… If not… then we must give up… I won’t let these people continue to suffer…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was really sad. : ( Why? Mmmmmmmm… Okay, well, moving on from that, Asgore and Toriel… I tried really hard to come up with good names… Forgive me for making them sound so bad…
> 
> *sigh* Alright, Chapter 18 is up next. Good luck. Also, I hate to break it to you all, but there’s a gut puncher coming your way. Watch out…
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 18: An Unlikely Pair
> 
> A little preview: Sans was always a loner, even when he was with his brother. He just preferred to be by himself. However, he made an exception when a little lady strolled into his life. B^)


	18. An Unlikely Pair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe… Sans is one lucky guy. : )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Okay, I’m not going to add anymore backstory.
> 
> *adds in a shitload more*
> 
> Me: *throws hands up* FML.

     Sans and his brother weren’t like the other monsters. They weren’t natural, rather artificial. That’s what he felt separated them from the rest. However, he made sure his brother was accepted. They both showed up unexpectedly, two creatures successfully birthed from scientifical experimentation. In simpler terms, they were test tube babies formed from different chemicals. 

     Sans was more chill compared to his younger brother, who was very upbeat and lively. Papyrus was his name, and he was always excited to learn new things. Sans, on the other hand, was more focused on his creator. W. D. Gaster… He was a strange but kind man, someone who was like Sans. He kept to himself most of the time, so lots of rumors spread around. Some said that Gaster was secretly the leader of an occult and he was creating an army of creatures through dark magic and science, while others believed that he was some kind of super spy meant to blend in with the monsters. Sans knew the truth, though. Gaster was neither of those things…

…

     Sans and Papyrus were privately taught many things, from basic motor skills to proper etiquettes, all from Gaster and his small team that helped create the two of them. The two quickly learned how to walk and talk, how to eat and tend to themselves. It was a rather humorous sight, a really tall skeleton and a shorter, stout skeleton toddling around like infants exploring the world for the first time. Gaster looked quite proud of himself as the two adapted to life within the community of monsters, especially with the spark of the war. 

     Papyrus, as soon as he was deemed fully independent, wanted to try out for the Royal Guard. He trained day and night for several days under Gaster’s supervision. With his help, Papyrus was able to succeed and become Undyne the Undying’s second in command. Sans, on the hand, wasn’t interested in that. He could take care of himself, anyhow. Gaster never did explain to him why he gave Sans so much power… Perhaps he wanted to test him to see how he would handle such a gift. Or, maybe he wanted to see if Sans would try and get rid of… him.

…

     Sans and Chara met shortly after Sans was created. Right around the time when he was six weeks old, Chara had appeared in his life under mysterious circumstances. Gaster stated that he was his special assistant. Sans wasn’t thrilled to have the mischievous demon around, though Papyrus was excited to have a new playmate. While the two became fast friends, Sans wasn’t so welcoming. Chara was constantly staring at him with those large red eyes, and that grin… Ugh. It sent chills down Sans’ spine. However, he bit his tongue, for he didn’t want Gaster jumping down his throat for getting into fights with the demon, even if the little brat did try everything he could to really grind Sans’ gears…

…

     Sans and Papyrus were devastated to see their people wallowing in agony from the loss of loved ones having succumbed to the war. They fought alongside their people, but ultimately failed to take down every last human involved. At the time, Sans had not unlocked all of his abilities. Things might’ve turned out different if he had. Nonetheless, he and Papyrus assisted in their master’s teachings when helping monsters adjust to life underground. It was relatively difficult, but over time they managed to coerce themselves all together into an actual, thriving civil society. 

     While all of this was going on, Sans turned to the books for answers about the humans and how they had such power. Alphys, someone who Sans had befriended some time after the war, claimed that she’d begun research of her own and that she’d gladly share it with Gaster and the team. Unfortunately, though, Gaster would soon become absent… An accident occurred. Sans was working with Gaster and his team when something went wrong with an experiment in the laboratory that they’d built together. Gaster had gone inside that machine to investigate what was malfunctioning… There was an explosion… Fire… Screaming… Blood… 

     Sans was the only one to make it out. The entire place burned down, leaving nothing but ashes… and bits of dust. Sans was grief-stricken over this. It should’ve been him, not his creator that burned to death… Papyrus was saddened as he was told of this news, that which spread across the entire Underground within hours. Everyone gathered to mourn the loss of Gaster and the team. They were well-known, the only ones that the other monsters could go to for answers to questions none other could answer. Thankfully, Alphys stepped up to the plate and revealed she possessed a vast knowledge of everything that Gaster had once known, as well as other things he was not aware of. It took Sans quite some time to adjust to all of this, especially since… well… other things were going on…

…

     Sans was guilty of taking the lives of humans that fell into the Underground. Gaster had told the king and queen that they could break the Barrier with seven powerful human souls. And so, they started collecting them. The image of faces twisted with fear and screams for mercy quickly embedded into Sans’ mind, like a worm burrowing deep into the ground. He suffered nightmares at times because of this, some even involving his creator. Gaster… He was watching the whole thing play out. He’d come back somehow… His soul… It somehow remained even after death, his spirit with it. No one else could see him except for two people, that being Chara and Sans. 

     Gaster warned Sans to be cautious, for the humans would surely act upon the news of humans being slaughtered by the monsters. Surely they were wondering what had become of their loved ones. It had been quite some time since they’d gone out to do whatever it was they were supposed to…

…

     Sans didn’t exactly rejoice over the monsters being freed once the seven souls were finally collected. Like Gaster said, the humans picked up on what had happened to their loved ones. A human woman had caught one of the monsters lingering near the cave entrance where the Barrier once stood, so she’d called upon human men to investigate. Thankfully, everyone was able to safely evacuate before another war could break out…

…

     Sans would never forget the day when the one person he cherished most came into his life. He was exploring the place the monsters had claimed as their new home, a forest far away from where the humans took refuge. He had wandered quite a ways from the monsters’ territory, when he bumped into her… She was a kind, fair young woman with long brown hair and amber eyes. She had light skin, with pink lips and a faint blush upon her cheeks. She was dressed in a pretty blue gown and grey flats.

     The woman didn’t appear to be frightened when the skeletal monster appeared in her sights. Sans had frozen, thinking the worst as his mind began to race. The woman smiled at him as she told him that it was alright. Her voice was so calming, each word lilting Sans closer as the soul within his chest began to beat loudly. This woman… Something about her just… intrigued him.

…

     Emma was her name, and Sans always snuck away to visit her whenever he could. The two would usually meet late at night when everyone else was asleep. They would sit together in a large clearing and talk for hours on end. Sans learned a lot about Emma during these many nights, from her incredible culinary skills to her interest in art and music. Sans opened up to her about how knowledgeable he was in science and mathematics, to which Emma joked that she never was good at either subject.

     “I’m only good for cleaning and cooking,” she said.

     “Oh, you’re smarter than that,” Sans said.

     “That’s very sweet of you.”

     “Of course.”

 

     Sans and Emma had formed such a unique bond with each other. They both knew that there was something more, and it didn’t take them long to figure it out. Emma understood Sans, and she was a good listener when he was troubled. She was always give helpful advice when he felt lost, and it always worked. Every time he was with her, he felt like he could relax. She had such a calming presence about her, and he was beyond grateful for that. 

     “You know… I always knew that you all existed,” Emma said. 

     “Really?” Sans asked in surprise.

     “Yes… I told the village that you all existed… but they didn’t believe me. They all think I’m crazy.”

     “…” Sans frowned. “… Wouldn’t be… better if they didn’t know?”

     “… Perhaps…” Emma put a hand over Sans’. “But, wouldn’t it be even better if they knew? If we could settle our differences… we wouldn’t have to hide anymore… We could visit each other out in the open.”

     “… I suppose…”

     “Think about it. The monsters and humans… We could all live together in harmony…”

     “… and perhaps forever.”

 

     Both Emma and Sans turned their heads toward the source of the third voice. A pair of illuminating crimson eyes broke through the darkness, a small red sneaker then stepping out into the moonlight. Emma stared in awe as the young boy approached, a sly smile on his face as he casually strolled up to the two. 

     “Hey,” he said. “I thought I’d find ya two out here.”

     “What the hell do you want?” Sans growled.

     “Hey now, be nice,” Emma said gently.

     “Hi, you must be Emma. My name is Chara.” Chara extended a hand to her, to which she politely accepted. “Enchanté.” He lightly kissed the top of her hand. 

     “Oh… So polite,” Emma said.

     “Hmph…” Sans turned the other cheek, an agitated look on his face.

     “So,” Chara said as he clapped his hands together, “you two seem like you’re all ‘buddy-buddy’. How’s about we make it officially forever?”

     “Huh?” Emma questioned.

     Sans glared at Chara, his bony fingers digging roughly into the boulder the two sat upon. 

     “I mean… you two want to be together and live in harmony with both monsters and humans…” Chara explained slowly. “So… I can make part of that happen… with you two.” 

     “I’m sorry… Do you… live close by, little boy? I can take you back home if you live in the village,” Emma offered sweetly. 

     Chara fell to the ground in embarrassment while Sans burst out in uncontrollable laughter.

     “He looks so young, Sans. I wonder if his parents know he’s out this late?” 

     Chara shot up with anger. “I’M NOT THAT YOUNG, LADY! GAAAAAAAAH!!!!”

     “I’m confused…” 

     Chara sighed. “… I’m a demon… I’m a close friend of the monsters.”

     Emma gave him a questioning look.

     Chara face-palmed himself. “… Hah…” He glared at Sans before turning his attention to Emma. “I am Chara… I am a demon who descended upon this world for personal reasons. Over the course of the past few months, I’ve seen you and Sans meet here and you two really seem to like each other.” Chara put his hands on his hips “You two are close. Perhaps… you could make it happen. Monster and human relationships… It’s possible. You’ve proved it.”

     Both the skeleton and human looked at each other, then back at the demon.

     “Yeah… You heard me.” Chara winked. “How about it?”

     “No way!” Sans growled.

     “Sans… Calm down.” Emma’s hand on Sans’ shoulder immediately relaxed him. “Tell me, who are you?”

     “… I just told you,” Chara said.

     “I know… but… what do you mean by what you just offered?”

     Chara’s grin returned. “Heh… Allow me to explain…”

 

…

 

     Emma knew what Chara was the moment he stepped out from within those trees. Hell, she’d felt his presence there before he’d even made his debut, and he knew that. That’s why they were so casual. Offering up immortality… She couldn’t accept that. As much as she wanted to… she couldn’t. Demons were not people to be trifled with. Making a deal with them was way too risky. Her mother had taught her that… Frisk’s mother wasn’t able to teach her daughter that, so she’d have to make sure she did, especially since Frisk was now aware of the little demon boy. Chara may be a very trustworthy person, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have any tricks up his sleeve…

     She made it her mission from day one to try and get humans to reconcile with the monsters. However, it would take time. Unfortunately, though, that plan was put on hold since there was a threat on the loose. She and Sans were so close… She didn’t want to lose that, but her time… She cringed as her soul began to ache once more. It had been throbbing for quite some time, but thanks to Sans’ magic it was able to stay intact. The pain quickly subsided as she thought about her skeletal partner. 

     “Sans…” she whispered. “I… I love you so much… I don’t want to leave you…” Another tear escaped her eye. “… I love you so much… I want to be by your side when the humans and monsters finally come together but… I don’t know… if I will be…” She bit down on her lower lip. “It’s getting harder and harder… to get around… I… I’ve wanted to tell you this for so long, but I couldn’t bring myself to. It hurts so much…. My bones ache, and my head feels like it’s going to explode…” She turned around to face him. “I’m sorry… I wanted to tell you sooner… but I couldn’t… I’m so sorry…”

     Sans shook his head, a smile on his face. “Emma… It’s okay… Really… It’s okay…” Sans cupped a hand around her cheek. “You and I… We’ll always be together… No matter what… You and I… are soul mates…” Sans pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you…”

 

     Sans and Emma both reminisced about all the times they snuck out to see each other, how they would sit together upon that boulder to watch the fireflies during the summer and observe the snowflakes during the winter. They enjoyed having that huge clearing to themselves, so the weather sometimes took its toll on Emma. That’s what gave them the idea to build the cabin. It took a little while, but Sans’ magic proved useful when gathering the necessary amount of trees to be used as structure. The Christmas lights were a little touch added by Emma one year during the holidays, and Sans just never got around to taking them down. He thought of them as a loving reminder of Emma anyway.

     “You and I will always be together, no matter what,” Sans said. “Our love physically won’t last forever… but it will last spiritually.”

     “Sans…” Emma pressed her lips to Sans’ mouth for a few moments before pulling away. “… I love you…”

     “I love you too…”

…

     Chara stood atop the roof of the cabin, a frown on his face. “… Sans… Emma… There’s still time… You can always just accept the deal… I can make her young again… Why? Why won’t you accept?” Chara kicked at the wooden shingles. “Hmph… Well… Can’t please everyone, I guess. Still, though… I don’t understand.” He looked up at the night sky. “The stars… They’re so pretty… The moon’s out bright tonight too…” Chara’s eyes narrowed. “… Asriel…”

…

     Frisk sat up in bed, her head turned toward the window. The moon was really pretty tonight. What a sight. “… Sans...”

 

     Sans and Miss Condrake wanted to spend some alone time together. At first, she was unsure why. But, the look she caught as she left Sans’ cabin, that look of sorrow on his and her faces… Frisk knew something was up, and it didn’t take her long to figure it out.

  
  
     Sans had already scolded her for picking on Chara, and poor Napstablook was just a wreck. Thankfully, Miss Condrake’s kind nature proved to be the best medicine in curing the ghost’s anxiety. Miss Condrake… She was such a kind person. Where would Sans and Frisk be without her when that time came? God, it was so painful to think about, but they both knew that it was coming very soon.

     She just came in so abruptly, that fake smile on her face. Everyone knew she was pained, and she looked ready to burst until she saw that others were troubled. She always was great at solving problems. But… soon she would no longer be there to fix things. She’d be gone… Frisk fought back tears as her hands clasped tightly to her blanket. She forced herself to lie down and close her eyes. 

     “It’ll be fine… Everything will be fine… It’s okay…” she croaked.   


     … It didn’t feel that way…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that’s it. Chapter 18 is done. I’m so sorry this took so long to get out. TT.TT I’ve been trying to get back into the swing of things. 
> 
> Coming up- Chapter 19: Shattered
> 
> A little preview: … Cruelty is an ugly face… It comes at you with full force… and with no mercy. The pain of one’s soul shattering… It’s not pleasant (I think you all know what’s going to happen… I’m sorry…). 
> 
>  
> 
> Hey, guess what? My DA now has stuff on it to view. 
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART is where you can find that stuff. Just sayin'.


	19. Tired of Fighting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma's tired of fighting... She just wants to be done...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all. I’m alive. Did you miss me? I missed you. :) Anyway, I’ve got some more chapters ready to go. I hope you enjoy it. Oh, there’s something that I need to get out there. Please go here if you’re interested: HollowArtist001@DeviantART (take a look at my “---“ post and “Le Sigh” post). I’ve got some news there if you really want to know when updates are coming because I’m not dishing out another for a while… Oh, and if you’re more familiar with Twitter, I have that too (The Hollow Feline@Twitter)... If you don’t really care, then that’s fine too (gives me less to worry about). I also updated my profile status, so it has a list of what I’m writing and when I’ll update, etc.

     Frisk noticed a lot of changes within Miss Condrake over the course of the following week. She’d started showing more and more signs of discomfort, pain and irritation. At first, Frisk thought that Miss Condrake was coming down sick. But then, Sans started spending more and more with her. Miss Condrake began taking up residence at his cabin. She also seemed less willing to do everyday activities, like gardening or even walking around. She just… sat around doing nothing.

     Dark rings had formed around her eyes, their amber glow now dull in color. Her skin had grown pale, almost sickly white. She was always cold now, a couple of blankets always draped over her shoulders. Her healthy silver hair used to be thick and gleaming with health, but it was now thin and greasy. The poor old woman’s appearance made her look like dead person walking. 

     “Sans… I’m really worried about her,” Frisk said as she helped him with the dishes one particular day.

     “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart,” Sans said. 

     “But…” Frisk’s voice trailed off as Sans gently ran a hand through her hair.

     “She’s gettin’ up there in her years. Nature’s gonna have to take its course sometime, and it’s gonna be very soon.”

     Frisk’s eyes welled with tears. “N… No… She… She can’t…” 

     “Frisk…”

     “I’m not ready! You can’t… You can’t let her die, Sans!” Frisk harshly set the plate she was holding onto the counter. “She can’t! I’m not ready! I already lost my parents, and that felt like yesterday! I don’t want to lose her, too!”

     “Frisk, honey…” Sans knelt down in front of her. “It’s okay… I don’t like this any more than you do, but…” He cupped a hand around her tear-streaked cheek. “… she’s suffering. She… She’s tired…”

     “Can’t… Can’t we do something?” Frisk croaked. “Anything…”

     Sans shook his head. “No… I’m afraid not…”

     Frisk held back a sob as Sans rose up to wrap his arms around her. “… You… You’re really just going to let her go… You… You’re a monster…”

     Sans pulled away. “Frisk… I don’t… understand. Of course I’m a monster.”

     “No… I mean, you’re a monster!” Frisk cried out. “You’re letting her die! You’re not doing anything to help her! It’s been a week and you… you just…” Frisk turned around. “I can’t… I can’t believe you…”

     “Frisk, I know you’re upset, but there’s really nothing I can do here.”

     “Liar!” Frisk whipped around, tears flying from her eyes. “You’re lying!”

     “Frisk!” Sans called out to her as she took off. “Frisk!”  


     Frisk ran through the living room, Miss Condrake watching as she stormed out the front door. The teen raced down the steps and sprinted for the trees, her eyes blurred by tears as she fought against her runny nose while she ran.

…

     Chara found her sitting by the pond. She was sitting in the fetal position upon her rear, her face buried into her crossed arms. He approached her cautiously for fear that he might get smacked or have to take another hit to the balls. The last time that happened, he thought for sure that Frisk had forced him to transition to the opposite gender. Thankfully, there was only a small bruised dent to his “manhood”. 

     “Hey there… my little angel…” Chara whispered. “You okay?”

     “…” Frisk looked up and over her shoulder.

     “Huh? Why… Why are there tears?” Chara asked as he came closer.

     “… Just go away…” Frisk mumbled as she returned to her sulking.

     “What’s wrong?” Chara came over and knelt down beside her. “Please… tell me.”

     “… I don’t want to talk about it…”

     “Frisk…”

     “Please… Chara… I’m not in the mood…”

     “Frisk.” Chara put a hand on her shoulder. “Talk to me.”

     Frisk slowly raised her head to look at him. Her beautiful blue eyes were outlined in red, both brimming with tears. “… Miss Condrake… She’s dying…”

     “I know…” Chara whispered.

     “Then… why did you ask?”

     “Because I wanted to be sure that was what you were upset about. Plus… I wanted to know if you would tell me.” 

     “Ass…” Frisk hissed as she looked away.

     “Frisk… It’s okay.” Chara leaned closer, a sly arm sleeking around her from behind. 

     “Leave me alone…” Frisk rasped.

     “C’mere…”

 

     Chara gently pulled her in close to him, a warm smile spreading across his face. He raised a hand to wipe away her tears, his cool finger grazing up her right cheek to just underneath her eye. Frisk bit her bottom lip as she felt her heart begin to race, that warmth within her chest beginning to resonate. She managed to fight against it as she pushed Chara away. The demon only giggled as he put a finger to her curled lips. 

     “… Frisk… I’m not trying to seduce you. I’m just trying to comfort you.” Chara’s hand pressed to her back, he forced her even closer to her, her thundering chest pounding against his. 

     “Chara… Stop!” Frisk grunted as she was embraced by a pair of arms. 

     “It’s okay…” Chara breathed in her ear. “You know, though… I could make things all better. Unfortunately, Sans and Emma disagree…” He playfully twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. “They… wouldn’t accept a deal that I was willing to make with them. Shame, really…”

     “Deal?”

     “Yeah… I am a demon, after all…” Chara pulled away from her, his crimson gaze locked on Frisk. “She’s stubborn, that old woman. Set in her ways… but that’s fine.”

     “You don’t know her!” Frisk yelled as she shoved him in the chest. “You fucking creep-ass bastard!”

     “Sans wouldn’t appreciate that kind of language…”

     “Fuck him, too!” Frisk shot up to her feet. “He’s not doing anything to help! He’s just letting it happen!”

     “Frisk.” Chara stood up as well. “That’s not fair. He can’t do anything.”

     “What!? You can!? With one of your ‘deals’!?” 

     Chara’s eyes narrowed. “Frisk… They’re much more complicated than you think.”

     “Oh really…” Frisk crossed her arms over her chest. “Yeah… right.”

     The irises of Chara’s eyes flared. “You don’t want to test those waters, Frisk… I know you’re afraid…”

     “Get the hell away from me, you shit-headed spawn of Satan!” Frisk turned around to walk away, hands balled into fists.

     “… You’re so naïve…”

 

     Frisk’s eyes went wide with shock as she was suddenly yanked back by a phantom force. She flew right past Chara and went slamming down to the ground upon her back, Chara quick to pounce on top of her. Her hands went flying up above her head, her lips sealed shut before she utter even a syllable. Chara was grinning sinisterly, his eyes glowing bright red as he soaked in her sudden fear. 

     “Heh…” Chara stood over her, his eyes locked with hers. “Frisk… You should know that I always get what I want, no matter what. I’m a demon… so…”

     Frisk whimpered fearfully as Chara slumped down upon her chest. 

     “Ssssh… I’m not going to hurt you. I just needed to shut you up long enough for you to realize that I… am a force to be reckoned with.” Chara revealed his pair of piercing fangs, both threatening to puncture Frisk’s quivering throat as his lips pressed against it.

     Frisk squeezed her eyes shut, a shudder snaking down her spine as the tip of Chara’s tongue pricked her skin. 

     “Mmm… So soft and sweet…” Chara whispered. “You know, Frisk… I could give Emma a fresh chance… Maybe if you convince her, she’ll live longer. I could do the same for you, too… and Sans.”

     Frisk whipped her head to the left in retaliation.

     “You’re probably saying, ‘Oh please, let me go. Don’t hurt me!’” Chara mocked. “Well… lemme tell ya somethin’.” Chara’s breath now whisked her ear, the goosebumps crawling upon her flesh as the hairs of her neck and arms stood on end. “I won’t hurt you… because you’re my little angel. However… if you piss me off…” 

     Frisk winced as she felt her t-shirt suddenly fly up to her chest.

     “… I have ways of putting you in your place.”

     Frisk squeaked at the pinch to her side.   
“Do you understand me?” Chara whispered.

     Frisk nodded slowly.

     “Good.” 

 

     Frisk scrambled to safety as soon as she felt free to move. The backs of her sneakers scuffed the dirt, her palms burning raw as she pressed them into the ground. Chara stood with that creepy grin on his face, Frisk on the other expressing sheer horror. Chara let loose a low, eerie chuckle. Frisk struggled to her feet, her eyes wide as she took a few stumbling steps back. 

     “… You’re right…” Chara said. “… I am a shit-headed spawn of Satan… and it feels _just_   _fuckin'_ _great.”_

 

     Frisk ran from the demon boy like someone had lit her rear on fire. Chara’s hysterical laughter echoed throughout the trees, his musical tone trapping itself in her conscious. She didn’t dare look back for fear that he’d be right on her tail. It sure as hell felt that way. The chills coursing through her confirmed that along with her never-ending fear. Sometimes… he really was a force to be reckoned with, and that worried Frisk greatly. One day, she might actually push him over the edge with that temper of hers… Chara could hardly wait for that day to come when he could show her just how dominant he really was. He’d show his little angel that pushing around a demon was _very unwise._

…

     “Sans… I’m really sorry about this…” Emma whispered. 

     “It’s okay, you just rest. You need it.” Sans smiled warmly at her. “Are you comfortable?”

     “Yes… I am.” Emma smiled back, the comfort of blankets enveloping her body in warmth. “Thank you for bringing me home. I honestly feel like I’ve become a burden.”

     “You’re fine. Really.” Sans sat down beside her. “You just stay there and rest. I’ll make you something simple to eat.”

     “Oh Sans…”

 

     Sans’ grin remained as he bid his lover farewell before turning away to go and make her some toast to nibble on. As soon as his back was to her, the ache of forcing that smile faded, the corners of his mouth drooping as he fought back the tears. He was beyond racked with grief, and the frustration of knowing Frisk was stressed from this only made the pain worse. He’d have to speak to her later about this. He could just feel the child’s soul radiating with fury and the urge to unleash her full power. It was like a glass about to overflow, its contents brimming at the very edge. 

     “Frisk… I’m sorry… I really am…” Sans whispered. “Ah, god…”

…

     Chara’s words had been drilled into Frisk’s mind. They were buzzing around like little bees in her conscious, swarming her thoughts as they stung her emotions. He said that he could help them if they formed some kind of agreement with him. She wasn’t too familiar with demons and how they worked, but there was the classic rumor that if one wanted something badly enough then one could contact some otherworldly creature and discuss. 

     That frightening look in Chara’s eyes… It was still fresh in her mind. He displayed that sinister side like he had once before, though it was different this time. Frisk began pacing madly about her home during that dreary evening when she felt a tug within her chest. She felt a chill run down her spine. Chara… He must be nearby. She looked up at the ceiling. 

     “… He’s on the roof,” she whispered. She shuddered at the sound of a knock a few moments later.

 

     She debated whether or not to go and confront him. Maybe… she could… talk to him about this? As much as she despised the boy, it really couldn’t hurt just to speak to him about it. After all, Miss Condrake meant the world to her, and she would be damned if she couldn’t save the old woman. 

     “Frisk.” 

     The girl is question jumped as she heard a low voice speak her name. She turned her attention to her bedroom door, a frown on her face. “Sans…” It had been a few hours since they’d last seen each other, and the tension had clearly grown since that time. 

     “Hey…” Sans nervously rubbed at the back of his skull. “I, uh, wanted to talk to you…”

     “How is she?”

     “… She’s fine… for now.” Sans gave her a concerned look. “Hey… listen… I—”

     “How could you let this just happen!? Why can’t you do something!?” Frisk suddenly shouted.

     “Frisk…” Sans took in a deep breath before continuing. “… Frisk, there’s nothing I can do.”

     “You’re lying! Chara told me earlier that you could form some kind of… I don’t know… ‘thing’ with him! He said that he could heal her or something.”

     “Chara’s a demon… We’re not going to make a deal with that.”

     Frisk bit down on her lower lip. “Sans… It’s been a week… I don’t like this. I want this to stop. Please… make it stop…”

     “Frisk… You have to understand that—”

     “I can’t lose her, too!” Frisk screamed. “I can’t! I just can’t!”

     “Frisk.”

     “You don’t understand, Sans! Miss Condrake… She’s the only family I have left besides you! I don’t want to lose her!” Tears began to stream down her face as Frisk fought back a choking sob. “She… She means the world to me!” Frisk slapped at her thighs. “I won’t let her die! If you can’t save her, then I will!”

     “Frisk…” Sans chuckled weakly. “You can’t just… prevent someone from dying. It doesn’t work like that.”

     “Oh yeah… watch me.” Frisk turned around to head for the door. “Maybe I should—”

     Sans had grabbed onto her wrist. “No, you’re not doing that.”

     Frisk looked over her shoulder. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

     “I do, and you and I both know you’ll regret that.”

     Frisk glared up at him. “… Chara… Chara said he could fix things… Perhaps he can. I don’t want to do it, but…”

     “No.” Sans’ tone had dipped low, his empty scowl as cold as ice. “You’re not going to engage in such a foolish decision.”

     “Sans!” Frisk tore her hand from his. "We can’t just stand idly by and let this happen!” Frisk’s lips quivered as she desperately searched for any sign of understanding in his gaze. “Please… We can’t… We can’t just… let her die…” 

     “Frisk, if there was something I could do of moral value, I would! In fact, the only moral thing I could do for her is put her out of her misery!” 

     Frisk stared back at Sans, dumbfounded.  
“She’s suffering, so maybe I should just up and end it for her! It’s not like I can anything else! She’s dying, Frisk! Everyone dies at some point! And just so you know, Chara is a vicious poison whose ‘antidotes’ only lead to trouble! I can’t believe that you would even consider that!”

     Frisk stood silent as a single tear ran down her cheek.

     “She’s dying, Frisk!” Sans yelled again. “There’s nothing I can do, so just deal with it! Once she passes, she’ll be free! Hell, I hope she’s dying right now! That way, her fucking suffering will end and we can all move on with our lives!”

     A pained expression flashed across Frisk’s face. 

     Sans’ eye sockets widened as he realized the harsh ending to his statement. “Frisk…”  
“…” Frisk lowered her head. “… Move… Move on… huh?”

     “…”

     Frisk looked up at Sans. “… I get it… I… I understand…” Frisk turned around. 

     “Frisk…”

     “Don’t… Please… I just… I need to be alone… okay?”

     Sans sighed. “Frisk… I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m just as stressed as you are… I’m really sorry.”

     “Please…”

     Sans looked away in defeat. “… Fine… Just know that I tried to help her… and she’s just as important to me as she is to you. That woman is my life the same way you are. This hurts me just as much as you.”

 

     Frisk stiffened as she felt the presence behind her fade away. The living room felt empty now, much like how Frisk was on the inside. She silently went over to the couch and plopped down upon it, her head hanging low once more as she blankly stared down at the floor. 

     “… Miss Condrake…” Frisk whispered. “… Why… Why do you have to…?”

     “Oh, tough break.” 

     Frisk slowly looked back up, an expression of slight fear on her face. 

     Chara was standing before her, hands behind his back as he rocked back and forth on his heels. “Man… you sure handled that well.” His cocky grin spread a little wider, his eyes twinkling. “Like I said before, you really need to get that temper of yours under control.”

     Frisk shot up to her feet, a tear-filled glare on her face. “Shut the hell up.”

     “Frisk, it’s okay…” Chara raised a hand and cupped it around her cheek. “You tried, and that’s all that matters. Although… you can still help her.” He gave her a wink. “All you have to do is convince me. That’s all.”

     Frisk gritted her teeth together, her nostrils flared.

     “Oh, I like that. So feisty…” Chara giggled as Frisk slapped at him, his hand quick to snatch hers. “What a cutie you are, my little angel.”

     Frisk yelped as she was yanked toward him, her chest bumping into his. 

     Chara gently grasped her chin, his eyes locked with hers. “You know… Sans isn’t here, so we can discuss things if you want. Tell you what… If you agree to go on a date with me, I’ll help your precious little Miss Condrake. How about it?”

     “Stop toying with my feelings!” Frisk cried, her voice unintentionally quivering.

     “What, I’m just trying to help,” Chara said slyly.

     Frisk’s eyes widened as Chara touched noses with her, her face suddenly growing very hot.

     “Ah… Your heart is pounding… I can feel it… It’s in sync with mine…”

     “Stop it!” 

     “Just admit you’re tired of fighting! I know you are!” Chara’s eyes were wide with excitement. “C’mon! Say it!”

     “Chara… Stop it…” 

     “…” Chara’s face went blank as tears began to form at Frisk’s eyes.

     “… I’m serious…”

     Chara smiled slyly. “Ah… There you go…”

 

     Frisk yanked her hand away as soon as Chara had let it go and he’d backed away. She stroked a strand of her hair behind her ear, her eyes averting Chara’s gaze. Chara snickered as he bounced on the balls of his feet, his eyes glimmering. Frisk glared at him, though her visibly shaking form didn’t help to make her appear fierce. Chara clapped his hands over his mouth to hide his smile. 

     “You’re such a creep…” Frisk muttered. “I hate you…”

     “No you don’t,” Chara whispered.

     “UGH! JUST GET OUT! I HATE YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME!? I HATE YOU!”

     “Okay.” Chara shrugged as he waltzed past Frisk to the front door. “But, if you change your mind… just—”

 

     Frisk shoved the demon boy out the door and slammed it shut before locking it, not that it would do any good. He could just teleport back inside. God… And here she thought that damn demon couldn’t get any worse. Boy, was she wrong… She pressed her back against the front door and slid down to the floor, her hands clapping to her face as she sobbed uncontrollably. She just sat there and cried. Wasn’t like there was nothing else she could do…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah… kind of lazy writing this chapter. I’ve had this one almost done for a while, but I didn’t get around to finishing it until today since I had to get some crazy shit (my head) together. The next chapter is coming right after this, so go for it. 
> 
>  
> 
> Wanna keep up with me? Curious about updates? Go here or here:
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART  
> The Hollow Feline@Twitter


	20. Shattered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s that chapter I kept talking about that was gonna break all y’all’s hearts. I’m sorry… :’(
> 
> Edit: HOLY GOD I JUST SAW THAT THIS REACHED OVER 1000+ VIEWS. QAQ Thank you... so much!!!!! I don't know what I did to deserve your kindness. Seriously... Thank you...

     Emma didn’t see Frisk as she came back to the village. Sans had teleported her back since she wanted to say her final goodbyes. Her plan was to say that she going away on a trip, and that she was probably not coming back. Yes, there would be tears, and everyone would fight to convince her to stay. However, she couldn’t do that. She only had a few days left… Her soul was barely hanging on as it was.

     “… We’ll miss you,” a little girl told her. “Are you… Are you going to become an angel?”

     Emma smiled warmly. “My time is coming soon, child… But, not to worry that only means that I’ll be able to watch you from above as you grow up and achieve your dreams.”

     The little girl beamed, her eyes twinkling.  
“We’ll miss you…” the girl’s mother said as she fought back tears. “I… I hope that you have a safe… trip…”

     Emma nodded. “Don’t think of this as a goodbye… Think of this as just… sending me off on an amazing journey! Yeah!”

     The woman shook her head. “You always were quite the jokester…”

     Emma chuckled. “I try…”

 

     Emma bid both the woman and her daughter farewell before turning to the next onset of people. More people that she would have to say goodbye to, more people that she would have to cry with (internally on her end). She knew that this torture would end soon enough, but “soon enough” was still so far off. Sans said that he would be there for her once she was done. All she had to do was call him, and he’d teleport right to her. All it took was one call…

 

A few hours later…

 

     Emma was finally finished. All she had to do now was speak with Frisk. She stood at the door of the girl’s home, her hand raised. However, she couldn’t bring herself to knock… not again, not after the first four times, not after the lights inside had been turned off. Emma spotted Frisk as the girl looked out the window, the tears forming in her eyes as she abruptly ran from view. Emma sighed at that, and now she was hesitant to knock once again. She knew that the girl was hurt… but she needed to talk to her. She could make things right if Frisk would JUST OPEN THE DOOR…

     Emma turned around and walked away. Frisk refused to talk to her, so that was it she supposed. If she had time, she’d catch her tomorrow, and if not… Well, maybe it was better this way in the case that more hurtful words would be exchanged between the two. The old woman simply hurried back to her own home and entered it for what was the last time. She would miss this world very much, but she was tired. She couldn’t do it anymore… She was tired of running from death. She was ready… She only wished that she could stay with Sans… but there was no way she was making a deal with Chara. She just didn’t trust him.

     “… Emma…” Speak of the damn devil…

     “Chara,” Emma said as she turned around to face… “Ah…”

     “It’s too bad…” Chara spoke… or so she thought. “I really didn’t want to have to do this, but then again I’ve been dying for this chance… I didn’t get to the last several times the opportunity arose. With that demon and skeleton absent, I can go through with it…”

 

     Emma gasped as something suddenly slapped at her back from above and coiled tightly around her throat. Her hands clawed at the threat as she was pulled up into the air. The old woman thrashed about as she kicked and swung at the air. Tears ran down her face, her mouth wide open in a silent plea.

*zzzzzz*

      Emma’s heart sank at the sound of her phone buzzing. Sans… It must be him, but she couldn’t reach…

     “… Too bad… You were a pretty sweet old lady… Ah well… Bye-bye!”

 

     Emma froze as she felt the center of her chest begin to burn. She could hear something pulsating, pumping vigorously. Something bright and silver sprung in front of her face. She violently shook her head, begging and pleading…

 

_S H A T T E R . . ._

 

     All over the floor… In dozens of pieces… Silver, crystalized particles… All floating to the floor… Waves of crimson and pounds of meat slapping against the floor, the walls… Bones crunching and breaking… The sound of one’s soul… now shattered… and the sound of maniacal laughter echoing within the walls…

…  
  
     Frisk woke up feeling uneasy the next morning. Last night, she’d seen Miss Condrake… but she refused to open the door. She felt awful about it… but she just couldn’t bring herself to face her.

     “Hey, Frisk.”

     Frisk felt her blood begin to boil at the sound of the one person she KNEW she didn’t want to speak to.

     “Hey… I thought about what I said yesterday… and… What the hell!?”

 

     Chara ducked as Frisk swung a harsh fist at him. The demon’s eyes were wide like saucers as Frisk kicked and punched, the demon barely dodging every attack. He sprang for the living room, Frisk following right after him. The girl screamed out as she leapt and, somehow miraculously, knocked him right to the floor. Chara stared up at her in surprise as she began dealing blows to his chest.

     “What the hell are you doing here, you prick!? I thought I told you I didn’t want to see you ever again!? I hate you! You hear me!?” she shrieked.

     “What the— ah! Stop it!” Chara snapped as he snatched her wrists.

     “I hate you! You piece of shit! I hate you! After that little stunt you pulled on me yesterday!”

     “Look, I came to apologize, you twat!”

     “Comin’ in here like you’re God’s fuckin’ gift! You sure as shit are lucky that Sans had left!”

     “Wait… Sans…?”

     “Oh, don’t play dumb with me! You fuckin’…” Frisk growled as Chara forced her off of him and yanked her up to her feet along with him.

     “What are you talking about? Sans wasn’t there,” Chara said.

     “Of course he wasn’t here! You were waiting until after he left!” Frisk spat.

     “What do you mean? I met with you at the pond, remember?”

     “Yeah, but then you showed up here and acted like a total ass-hat to me!”

     Chara frowned. “Wha…? I…”

     Frisk’s nostrils flared. “Oh, so now you’re playin’ that card huh!?”

     “What are you talking about? I didn’t stop by here yesterday. After I talked with you at the pond, I took a walk and met up with Napstablook…” Chara stiffened, a fearful look on his face. “Frisk… Frisk, did you… see…?”

     “What?” Frisk snapped.

     “Did you see Miss Condrake at all last night?”

     “Yes, I did… but that’s none of your concern.”

     “Have you seen this morning?”

     “No, I— Hey!”

 

     Chara had bolted like lightning. Frisk called after him and demanded to know what the hell was going on with him. She ran after him as he shot out of her house, Frisk right on his heels as he headed for Miss Condrake’s house. Frisk demanded that he leave her alone, but Chara ignored her and simply barged in.

     “Chara! You piece of shit!” Frisk stopped at the door. “We’re not done here! You… You…” Frisk stopped dead as she rounded the corner of the doorway. “Ah… Ah… _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”_

 

     Dangling in the center of the living room, hanging from the ceiling… was Miss Condrake. Her entire front had been split open, a massive slit that showcased her mangled up insides now outside and pouring down to the floor. A large pool of dried blood stained the floor beneath her. Around her neck was something dark and stained bloody. Miss Condrake’s mouth hung open, her eyes rolling into her head.

     Frisk stumbled forward, her eyes ready to pop as she clapped her hands over her mouth. She jolted as she heard footsteps beside her. It was Chara, and he looked about as horrified as she did. He was shaking his head as he repeatedly said “no”. No… Miss Condrake… This couldn’t be…

     “No… No… She… NO!!!!!!” Frisk ran forward and clutched at the old woman. “No! Miss Condrake!”

     “Frisk!” Chara wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back.

     “Stop! Let go of me!” she shrieked, though she was too weak to fight back. “Stop it!”

     Chara grunted as he and Frisk both fell to the floor, his arms tightly locked.

     “Miss Condrake!” Frisk cried out as she got to her knees. “Oh my god! No! No! NO!” Frisk leaned forward, Chara following suit.

 

     Chara sat there with Frisk upon the floor as she wept over Miss Condrake’s gruesome demise. He cradled her close to him as he apologized numerous times, his hand stroking her hair as she cried into his chest. Chara told her that he didn’t mean for this to happen, that it was the fault of the one trying to hurt her. Frisk had no clue what he meant by that, but she didn’t care. She… She just… lost someone so near and dear to her… and she didn’t even get to say goodbye… Goodbye… Oh god…

     Frisk burst into more tears as she unleashed a blood-curdling scream. She refused to speak with Miss Condrake… She’d knocked so many damn times, and yet Frisk ignored her. And now… there was no way she could take that back. It was too late… Those awful things she said… That hurt look on Miss Condrake’s face… It was too late…

     “She’s gone... Oh my god…” Frisk whimpered. “Miss Condrake…”

     “It’s okay…” Chara whispered as he slowly rocked her back and forth.

     “… I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry…”

…

     Sans’ breathing hitched as he teleported to Frisk’s house. Outside, the adult villagers were all gathered around Emma’s house. They were pulling out something with a badly-stained cloth over it. Sans had to look away. He couldn’t… He couldn’t look… No… No way… He wanted to remember her how she was… before…

     “Sans!”

     The skeleton sprung to attention as Chara suddenly appeared at the door.

     “Quick! Come on!”

 

     Frisk was curled into a ball upon the couch, her hands clawing up and down the sides of her head as Sans entered the living room. He raced to her side and scooped her up in his arms, the girl clinging to him for emotional support. She wouldn’t stop crying. She was terrified. Sans tried to tell her it wasn’t her fault, but she just kept shaking her head and claiming that she was a terrible person that didn’t deserve to be alive. She kept crying that it should’ve been her, not Miss Condrake.

     “Frisk… I…” Sans paused as he took notice of her right arm. “Wha…!?”

     “That’s why I said to hurry the hell up,” Chara mumbled as he appeared beside the skeleton. “I got her back here… after the first fifteen minutes… and she… she broke her bathroom mirror…” The demon’s face was pale, with faint rings forming under his eyes. “… She… She had to throw up, so she went into the bathroom, and when she was done, she… she smashed her fist into the mirror…”

     Sans looked over her hand. All the pieces of glass had been removed, leaving small red slits to decorate her fingers and palm. “I see…” Sans closed his eye sockets and took a breath. “… Do you… Do you know… who did it?”

     “Yeah… I’m sure of it.”

     Sans looked over at Chara.

     “…” Chara was silently seething with rage. His lips were curled, his fangs grinding together against his bottom teeth. “… Fuckin’…”

 

     Chara faded into thin air, and Sans didn’t call for him to come back. He knew that the demon needed some space. He’d be able to talk more later on, so Sans decided to turn his focus to Frisk. The skeleton stood, the teenager cradled in his arms, and teleported both himself and her back to his place.

…

     “That old woman… She didn’t deserve that…” ??? gave a sigh as he turned to see Chara appear in the small clearing below him. The demon looked very frustrated. “… Hah…”

     Chara let out an angry cry and turned to kick at the tree nearest him.

     “…” ??? watched as the demon let loose his rage. “… Immature fool…”

…  
  
     Chara was blinded by anger and sadness at the same time. All he saw was red, and blue… Frisk’s crying echoed in his head, those words of how worthless she felt and that she wanted to take the place of that old woman. Why… Why didn’t she just take the damn deal!? He wasn’t going to charge her anything! She knew that he was the playful type! He was trustworthy!

_“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”_

 

     Chara’s scream prompted a flock of birds to flee from the trees, his vocals reaching so high that one in space could probably hear him. He didn’t care, though. He cared about the fact that he’d failed to keep that woman alive. She meant the world to Frisk and Sans… and now she was gone. That bloody… son of a… Chara felt so much rage for that thing, but if he killed it… then… Asriel…

     Chara fell to his knees and clutched at his head before screaming again, this time with streaming tears. Afterwards, he cautiously rose to his feet and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He looked up to see that the shadowy man was watching him, and so he gave him a warm smile before quickly darting away. The last thing that he wanted right now was to be chastised for “improper behavior”…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you it was coming. Someone did figure out right away who it was, and I’m sure most of you knew. I’m sorry… It had to happen. : ( I’m sorry… 
> 
>  
> 
> Wanna keep up with me? Curious about updates? Go here or here:
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART  
> The Hollow Feline@Twitter


	21. Repairing a Broken Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma's death is a tragic loss. Everyone is on edge, minds frazzled and thoughts distorted. Sans, though, feels that there is a way for at least his human to be healed...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 21 is ready to go! :D It’s a lengthy chapter, so please pace yourself. Don’t try to read it all in one go. Take your time. You don’t want to strain your eyes. ;w ; 
> 
> I have on my DA page a list of upcoming stuff for the future (I haven’t set a date for all that yet since I’m busy on a personal project; 200 pages in already!) in my latest journal entry if you’re interested. I will upload another journal entry there soon on what my plans for this fic are (chapter updates with hints at upcoming scenarios). I’ll do the same for my other fics as well. Alright, enough said. Enjoy! 
> 
> *Quick Note* I do apologize for the last few chapters being so quick. I rushed them because at that time I was trying to get myself organized with other things and my mind just kind of shut down for a bit… There was something I was working on, and it wasn’t getting anywhere, and it was frustrating. But, I’m okay now. ^^’’’’’
> 
> Previously (sorry I haven’t listed this in a while; I’ll try to update the other chapters with this if I get time): Miss Condrake tried to make things right with Frisk, though the latter wanted nothing to do with her because of the tension having developed between the two. Unfortunately, she is unable to try the next day due to the sudden appearance of an unexpected (and unwanted) guest. Miss Condrake meets her untimely end during this meeting, and everyone is affected by it…

     Frisk was silently crying as she sat there upon the couch at Sans’ cabin. She had her legs pulled up to her chest, her chin resting upon her knees with tears streaming from her eyes. Sans approached her with great caution for fear that he’d set her off. When she looked up at him, he stiffened. Frisk pressed her lips together in an attempt to hold back a sob. Sans gave her a sorrowful look. 

     Frisk’s head hung low as she began to weep once more, Sans placing himself next to her. It pained his soul to have to listen to her sobs, but he knew that it was the only way for her to let it all out. So, he sat there and waited until she was finished. After some time, her cries dwindled down to sniffles, and so he felt that was the right time to comfort her. She didn’t fight it. Rather, she curled up next to him and mumbled an apology to him. 

     “Sweetheart, you’ve nothing to apologize for,” he whispered.

     “I’m sorry…” she mumbled again.

     “Frisk…”

     “I’m really sorry…”

 

     Sans slipped his arm under her legs and cradled her to his chest, his free hand stroking through her hair as he slowly rocked her back and forth. Frisk just kept mumbling apologies over and over again, every few seconds, like a broken record. Broken… That was what she was… and she wasn’t the only one, but at least Sans was stronger. 

     He felt so angry for what happened. He couldn’t prevent it… and now Frisk was suffering. He would achieve vengeance for Emma. He would find the damn culprit and squash it like the vile insect it was. He just had to find it first… For now, he’d tend to his little one, her small hand clinging to him as a sign of needed comfort. She was shaking, and she wouldn’t stop expressing guilt. Comfort her, help her feel safe, and help her understand it’s not her fault. 

     “It’s okay…” Sans pressed his forehead to the top of her head. “It’s not your fault…”

     “I didn’t… I didn’t fix things… I refused to talk to her…” Frisk said quietly.

     “Frisk… You were stressed. You were afraid of losing her…”

     “I was mean to her… and now I can’t take it back… ever…”

     “She isn’t the kind to hold grudges… She’s still here, you know…”

     “No she’s not… She’s gone…”

     “She’s still here… in spirit…”

     “You’re just saying that…”

     “She is, Frisk…”

     “You’re lying…” Frisk croaked through more tears.

     “Frisk…” Sans squeezed the small hand still clinging to his chest. “She’s here… She won’t give up the fight against the force trying to destroy us…”

     “She’s gone, Sans… I’ll never get to apologize to her! Never! Never!”

 

     Frisk buried her face in his thick grey turtleneck, his cloak suddenly swooping around her. She relaxed in this swaddle of comfort. She felt safe, secure, protected. Sans managed a smile as he looked down at her. Just like when they first met… She was so much smaller then… He knew that it would take more than just all of this to heal her. Repairing a broken heart suffering from extreme loss is very difficult when that extreme loss is the cold-blooded murder of a loved one.

…

…

…

     Chara lay upon his knees, his head to the ground before where his adoptive brother lay. Chara was doing his best to keep his pain inside. He hated showing his vulnerable side to Asriel, because then the goat child would think that Chara was weak and needed nurturing. Chara didn’t believe in that, not for himself. He was a demon. He was meant to be strong. He needed to show his dominance, and keep it there for all to see. He wasn’t weak.

     “Asriel… I’m trying… I’m really trying… I know that you didn’t mean for this to happen… I tried to save her… but she wouldn’t listen…” Chara whispered. “I’m sorry that I failed you… You made me promise that I’d save her… I guess her fate is just meant to be… I only wish that it was natural rather than this… My little angel is suffering… She’s in great pain… However, it is not my place to comfort her. Sans must be the one to do that… Not only that, but she wants nothing to do with me right now… I do have some morals.” Chara snickered as he raised his head. “I won’t let another slip through my fingers, I promise. At least this way that old lady is now at peace. Heh~”

…

…

…

     Frisk fell asleep in Sans’ arms. He waited for just a bit before standing up and carrying her to his bedroom. He carefully laid her down onto the mattress and adjusted her head so that it lay upon the pillow. Afterwards, he pulled the covers up and over her small frame. Poor thing was so cold… He really wished she’d at least wear socks when venturing outside.

     Frisk mumbled something in her sleep as she turned herself onto her side, a small adorable grunt slipping her tiny lips.

     Sans chuckled as he brushed her bangs to the side. “… Heh…”

     “Is she okay?”

     Sans frowned as he turned around. “Oh… It’s… It’s you…”

     “Yeah… I, uh, wanted to stop by… After you left… I couldn’t… I couldn’t help it… By the way, you really shouldn’t leave your door unlocked.”

     “I can handle myself. Anyway… Can I get you something? I’m sure you’re parched and/or famished from the journey.”

     “I took some shortcuts… Heh…”

     “Told you it was easy~”

…

…

…

     “You’re such a fool!”

     “No, you’re just a hopeless drunk! Why do you think no one cares what you think!? You’re mad!”

     “You’re just like the others! All of you! All of you are doomed! DOOMED!!!!!”

 

     He watched as outsiders of the village hauled away that drunken goof and forced him into that white truck. There was something written in the language he could not understand, but he knew why the people were there. He’d been meaning to learn, but he never did get around it due to everything that had happened. If he had time, maybe he could ask Sans. 

     “I’m sorry I’m late.”

     He turned around to see a small figure standing before him. 

     “I hope you can forgive me…”

     “Of course, it’s fine. How are you, milady?”

     “I am well, thank you. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if you really existed or not.”

     He extended a hand to her, and she took it gingerly. “Enchanté,” he said politely as he bowed to her.

     She cupped another hand over her mouth and giggled. “Oho, you’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?”

     “Well, I figured it’d be respectful since it is your culture. Plus, I figured you’d get a little humor out of it mademoiselle.”

     “Yes… Well, in that case, bonjour to you.”

     “Your name would be Muffet, yes?”

     “Of course. And you are?”

     “My name is of no importance right now, not until I am able to meet with that human.”

     “I see, I see. How is she? I hear that Sans’ human has come to pass. Shame, really… She seemed like a sweet old woman.”

     “She was. Her spirit still lurks, though. She is able to defy the limitations of souls due to being a human.”

     “Yes… How lucky she is, too.” The spider monster put her four lower hands on her sides and hips. “Hmm… Why is it that you called me here today?”

     “I need you to assist Napstablook in something. The humans need some reassurance, so I would like you to help invoke the ruse of the old woman’s spirit.”

     “So, like a… spiritual shout-out.”

     “Yes… You possess the ability to mimic any one’s vocals, while Napstablook possesses the ability to take on any appearance at will.”

     “Of course… But, can’t Napstablook also perform my special skill?”

     “Yes, but he doesn’t wish for all of the attention to be directed toward him. So, I had to compromise.”

     “I see. He really needs to work on that.”

     “I know…”

     “Well, when should I start?”

     “Now would be good.”

     The spider nodded. “Alright, I’ll get on that. My children should be fine for now.”

     “I hope so. It’s gotten rather dangerous up there.”

     “Did he make it?”

     “Yes, he did. He’s with Sans now.”

     “Ah! Good! Alright, I’m wasting daylight so I must be off.”

 

     ??? saw the spider off with another polite bow before fading away into the darkness. He had a lot of work to do yet before he could meet that human. Hopefully she wouldn’t faint at the mere sight of him. He’d approach her gently, just to be safe…

…

…

…

     Frisk woke to the soothing image of the moonlight. It felt cool against her skin. She sat up with a hand rubbing at her eye, a yawn protruding her parting lips. She slowly slipped out of bed and walked across the room to the doorway, where she discovered the voice of a different person. She could hear Sans as well, and he appeared to be in genuine conversation with whoever it was he was talking to. Who was that? They spoke awful loudly, at least for her comfort. 

     “Heh… Yeah, I always tried to keep a straight face… but it was difficult… Oh, hey sweetheart.” Sans smiled warmly at Frisk as she peered out from the doorway. “How you feeling?”

     “Okay…” she mumbled. 

     Sans got up from his spot on the couch and came over to her before kneeling on one leg. “You look exhausted… You sure?”

     “Yeah…” 

     Sans gently took her by the hand, his fingers kneading into her palm. “You’ve been sleeping for a long while… I was gettin’ kinda worried. Thought that maybe you’d begun hibernating.”

     Frisk shook her head. “No… Just… tired…”

     “Is everything okay?”

     Frisk froze, eyes wide, as someone stepped into her view from afar. 

     “Oh, I see you’re up. Hello Frisk, it’s nice to meet you.” The monster’s voice had dropped to a lower volume, perhaps for her benefit.

     “How are you feeling?”

     “I’m… okay…” she stammered.

     “It’s alright, no need to be afraid of me. Honestly, I wouldn’t even be able to harm a fly…” 

     “He’s right. But, that’s okay because that’s what I make up for,” Sans said.

     “Of course my brother.”

     “Brother?” Frisk asked.

     Sans nodded. “That’s right. Frisk… I’d like you to meet Papyrus. Papyrus, this is Frisk, as you already know.”

 

     This skeleton was taller than Sans by only a couple of feet. His head was more elongated, and his eye sockets were much smaller, with tiny white eye lights for pupils. He had big teeth like Sans, the upper row larger than the bottom. His clothing was similar to Sans’, a turtleneck though it was white and appeared to be of much thinner material. Clad around his neck and atop his shoulders was a thick, bright red scarf rather than a fur-trimmed cloak over his shoulders. His lower half was dawned in black pants held up with a brown belt, his tall boots bright red like his scarf and the large gloves that had appeared from behind his thin figure. 

     “You look so different from Sans… I would never have guessed that you two were related,” Frisk said.

     “Yes, it is hard for many to tell, though they do eventually figure it out since we are the only skeletons among the monsters. We are the closest to have ever come to human anatomy, which was our father’s goal.” Papyrus put a hand to the back of his skull. 

     “Mmm.” Sans stood up, eye sockets closed. “He’s… He’s still there… He’s nearby, but he’s not ready to show himself yet.”

     “Who?” 

     “Our creator.”

     “He’ll come around soon… In the meantime, Frisk, perhaps you’d like to bathe? You look rather sweaty.”

     Frisk blushed. “Yeah… a little…”

     “It got a little warmer than I’d expected,” Sans said. “I’m sure you’d feel better after a nice bath.”

     Frisk nodded. “That’d be nice.”

     “While you’re doing that for the human, perhaps I could prepare her a small meal. I promise that my cooking has greatly improved,” Papyrus offered.

     “Sure thing,” Sans said. “She needs to re-gather her energy.”

     Frisk nodded again. Surprisingly, she was hungry after sleeping away the whole day. 

     “I’ll make something simple to digest,” Papyrus said. He walked off to the kitchen then, leaving Sans to prepare things for Frisk to clean up.

     “Sans…” Frisk hesitated as she tried to find the right words for her question. “Um…”

     “I haven’t seen Chara, if that’s what you’re asking,” Sans said sadly. “He’s been missing all day. My guess is he’s probably just taking time for himself.”

     Frisk sighed. “I… I really… I really feel like…”

     “Don’t worry, kiddo. He’ll stop by soon. I’m sure of it.”

     “I hope so… He seemed confused when I… Mmm… That’s right, I haven’t told you yet.”

     “You can tell me later, okay?”

     “Yeah.”

…

…

…

     Chara lay upon the tree branch high above the skeleton’s cabin, hands behind his head as one leg dangled while the other was bent. He stared up at the moon with a slight frown on his face as he pondered whether to go down there or wait. Perhaps it’d be better that he wait since she was getting undressed. As much as he’d like to see her in all of her natural glory, he felt that might be crossing a MAJOR line. He couldn’t afford to lose his family jewels in such a shameful way…

     “I’ll give her a couple more hours, maybe wait until Papyrus is settled down for the night,” he said to himself. “Damn guy is so annoying… Ugh… Mmm?” He raised his head while cocking an eyebrow as he looked out in the direction of the village. “Seems that Napstablook and Muffet have gotten busy, guess that means I’m no longer needed there. Kinda hurts that he wouldn’t tell me… Oh well. It’s whatever. That’s more time I can be spending with my little angel.”

  
*rustle*

 

     Chara shot up in alarm, head whipping left and right. He was being watched by someone, and he knew who. Eyes flaring bright red, he stood with his chest out, arms flexed at his sides with his small hands balled into fists. Lips curled with fangs bared, he prepared to leap from the tree branch at the next sound audible to his ears. The petaled little bastard was hiding, the question being where. 

     “Show yourself!” Chara demanded.

     “C’mon!”

     There was no response given… probably no fucks either.

     “Damn it!” Chara kicked at the branch he stood upon before leaping down from it and landing softly on the roof of the cabin. “Ugh…”  


     The flower was gone now. Well, that was a good thing he supposed. At least now he didn’t have to worry about it hurting anyone. He let himself rest upon the roof, both his mind and body exhausted beyond recognition. Now that he was back to being chill, his limbs were like heavy weights it took so much effort to lift them back up. 

     “Hey, you gonna come inside or just sit there?”

     Chara squealed as he shot up with embarrassment. “Wah! Hey!” He looked over his shoulder to see Sans kneeling behind him. “Where the hell did you come from?”

     “I sensed you nearby while Frisk was asking about you…”

     “So… she was curious to know how I was doing.”

     “… Yeah… Come on inside, the flower’s gone now.”

     Chara frowned. “You sure?”

     “Yeah, Paps already knows you’re here. Don’t worry, he’s mellowed out a whole lot since the last time you guys met.”

     “Mmm… Fine, but any questions and I’m out.”

 

     Papyrus was standing near the kitchen when the two teleported inside of the cabin. He asked if Chara needed something, whether it was a beverage or some food, the demon declining politely at that. Sans wasn’t wrong when he said that Papyrus had “mellowed” out. He was speaking a lot quieter than his usually loud tone, and he seemed to be calmer too. This was fairly out of character for him. 

     “Guess he’s no longer in the dark, huh?” Chara asked.

     “No, he’s not,” Sans said. 

     “Sans told me that the creature having gotten away is around, and it’s trying to wreak havoc once again.” Papyrus’ bony brow perked up. “Oh, looks like the biscuits are already close to being done. That’s the beauty of magic.”

     “Hopefully Frisk won’t scarf everything down…”

     “She doesn’t usually turn to food as a stress reliever. I can hardly get the girl to eat much hardly at all, even if it’s a sweet treat.”

     “Hmm, well, hopefully my cooking will change that!”

…

…

…

     Frisk felt much better after having a bath. The wafting smell of vanilla and lavender gently teased her nose as she slipped on the comfortable clothes that Sans had gathered for her. He must’ve snuck off to her place, probably after Papyrus arrived (whenever that was). She slipped on the t-shirt, fresh panties, and pajama pants, along with the sweater and socks since she was cold. 

     After making sure her hair was good and dry, and decently brushed out, she headed out into the living room. Sans looked pleased to see that she had put on everything he gave her. God, he was such a worry wart, but a good one at that. That’s why she didn’t tease him and instead gave him a hug. It felt really good to be in his arms like this. It’d been a while since they’d had personal time like this, and she seriously needed it now more than ever. 

     “You feel better?” he asked in a whisper.

     Frisk nodded silently.

     “Good.” 

 

     Frisk nuzzled herself into his chest as he rubbed soft circles into her back. It felt good.   
Air blew out of Sans’ nasal cavity as he stroked his fingers through her hair, his teeth pressed to her head. 

     “Thanks for getting me some fresh clothes…”

     “Yeah… I wanted to make sure you were warm. I know how chilly you get after a shower.”

     Frisk turned her head to the side, her eyes wandering toward Papyrus, who was now approaching with a small plate. 

     “I made some biscuits for you, a small bowl of crackers to go with,” Papyrus said as he set the plate down upon the coffee table in front of the couch. “I’ll be back with your lemonade.”

     “Papyrus, you’re really sweet,” Frisk said. 

     “Aw, thank you!”

     Sans snickered as his brother walked away. “He’s got a big heart despite not actually having one.”

     “Heh… Ah.” Frisk’s eyes widened as someone else stepped out of the kitchen. 

     “Hi,” was all Chara got to say before Frisk was up and running toward him. 

     Frisk threw her arms around him, her chin resting upon his shoulder. 

     “Whoa! Hey there!” Chara cried. 

     “Chara… I’m… I’m sorry…” Frisk whispered. 

     “Frisk…”

     “I’m really sorry…” 

     “Ah… Ah.” Chara slowly raised his arms and wrapped them around her. “I should be the one apologizing… I… I said some things that I shouldn’t have said… My behavior was unacceptable. You had every right to be mad.”

     “I shouldn’t have acted so rash,” Frisk said as she pulled away. “I just… I didn’t… I didn’t know… if it was you… that I saw… later that night… before… she…”

     “What do you mean?” Chara asked gently.

     “You said that I supposedly came by the night before. You were extremely pissed at me.”

     “Yeah… It was after Sans left.” Frisk turned to her adoptive father. “Sans had stopped by, and we had an argument.”

     Sans nodded with a worried expression.

     “You… I thought… came by… and you were… so… so much more… unscrupulous than usual…” Frisk looked down at the floor as she fought back tears. “I don’t know… You just seemed so heartless… and then… I told you how much I hated you and that I wanted you to get out…”

     Chara put a hand on her shoulder. “Frisk, I was with Napstablook last night. He offered his place to me for the night so I could straighten things out with myself.”

     Frisk nodded. “Yeah… That’s what you told me I think… or maybe it was Sans… I can’t remember…” (AKA I can’t remember; I have the worst frickin memory…)

     “Frisk, it’s okay. You’ve been under a lot of stress lately. Hey, look at me.” Chara’s hand moved to her cheek and gently turned her head so she was looking up at him. “It’s okay… I’ll admit that I’ve been quite the turd here lately, and so I wasn’t helping, only making it worse.”

     “It’s in your nature,” Frisk said. “You’re a demon that’s grown as a free spirit. Plus, it’s your soul…” Frisk put her hand to his chest. “Right?”

     Chara sucked in a sharp breath at her touch. “Ngh…”

     Frisk’s hand quickly fell away. “Sorry…”

     “No… It’s okay…” Chara’s hand slowly trekked under her hair at the back of her head.

     “Chara…”

…

…

…

     Sans observed the two as they locked eyes with one another. Chara… He really had fallen in love with Frisk, and it was actually kind of cute. Chara really wasn’t all bad once one got to know him. Of course, that also depended whether he was in a mood for trouble. He hasn’t tried anything beyond the basics of physical contact, so… Sans had felt his trust with the demon grow over time…

     Chara was a creature of another world, so he was indeed unpredictable. Sans may have known him for a long time, but there was still quite a lot he didn’t know about the boy.   
Chara had a soft spot for this girl. That look in his eye… Sans didn’t believe that he’d ever seen a glint like that before. Chara felt a connection with her, his soul having imprinted on hers.

     Their souls were indeed compatible in some weird way, Frisk’s conscious probably believing that there was some good in Chara’s and wanting to try and help. Frisk had been fighting it up to this point, but it appeared that now she was reconsidering it… A light bulb went off in Sans’ head the moment that thought crossed his mind. The key to repairing a broken heart… her broken heart… 

_My heart may never recover from this loss… at least not the way it should…. I will forever feel alone and guilty over leaving her side for just that short amount of time. But, perhaps Frisk could be spared what I am feeling…_

 

     As much as Sans didn’t want to agree to this… it might be the only way for Frisk’s soul to heal. Despair was a powerful. If not treated, it could easily eat away at any living creature’s soul. That’s how Emma grew so weak in the first place, as well as because she was exceeding her body’s limitations on the laws of life. Her health had drastically decreased within one week due to the despair of losing Sans and Frisk, along with the entire village… That was how the flower got to her so easily. It played with her emotions… and she lost the game. Sans couldn’t let that happen to Frisk. He couldn’t… She was already close one when she lost her parents… and many other times too… He wouldn’t let her soul crumble like that when a solution was presented before him. 

     Chara looked over Frisk’s head, and he wound up locking eyes with Sans. The skeleton had a determined look on his face, while Chara appeared to be confused. Sans got up and went around the coffee table. He calmly walked past Chara and Frisk, a bony hand quickly patting the demon’s shoulder as he went. He could feel the demon’s eyes at his back, that sense of confusion trying to make sense of Sans’ sudden action while his little human went over to the couch and gingerly took the plate prepared for her.

…

…

…

     What was that just now? That look on his face… It didn’t make sense. Why… Why would Sans do that? Chara felt suspicious for a few moments, but then relaxed. Sans didn’t put his hand on his shoulder as a sign of a threat. He did that as a sign of support. But, why? Chara tried really hard to understand, but… it was just too difficult. He’d never acted that way toward him before. It really was strange.

     “Chara, would you like a biscuit?” Frisk’s voice jolted him back to reality. “You really should eat something…”

     “Oh, I’m fine,” Chara said. “I ate some apples before coming here.”

     “I see… Well, alright.” 

 

     Chara nodded and turned to head for the kitchen, where Papyrus suddenly came sleeking out. Chara was quick to dodge the slender skeleton, the glass of lemonade safely avoiding the risk of being spilled.

     “Oops! Sorry about that!” Papyrus said a little loudly. “I’m working on looking before I begin walking!”

     “That’s okay,” Chara whispered. 

     “Oh, sorry…” Papyrus said more quietly. “I’m working on speaking quieter too…”

     “It’s alright, Papyrus.”

     Papyrus nodded before continuing on his way, an apology to Frisk ready to boot.

     “Sans…” Chara stood before the skeleton, the taller figure with his back to the demon. “What was that just now? You were acting… weird…”

     Sans turned around, a lazy grin on his face. “Nothing… I just… felt that I needed to do that…”

     Chara titled his head to the side. “Are you alright? Do you need to lie down for a bit?”

     “Not yet… I will soon…”

     “Okay…” Chara looked back toward Frisk. “Hmm…”

…

…

…

     “Sans… you could be onto something… Just don’t let it cloud your judgment. Let them come together on their own, or else disaster will strike that much faster.”

 

     ??? vanished into the dark. He would wait until after the old woman’s funeral. That’s when he would make himself present around the girl. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be too excited at the sight of meeting him. After all, his appearance wasn’t quite all that pleasant…

…

…

…

     Frisk did her best to hold it together for the funeral. She decided to wear her nice black babydoll dress with high black socks and small black flats. As she stood outside with all the other villagers, lit candle in hand for the vigil, she felt the tears well at her eyes. Sans was with her as well, the hood of his cloak pulled over his head as he silently stood there with his hands clasped at his front.

     The villagers welcomed him with open arms since Miss Condrake had always trusted him, and he also always looked out for her and Frisk as well. It was a real honor to him, and it was very happy to attend.  
Frisk watched as they buried the body of their beloved, her body having been all fixed up by the mortician just a ways out from their village. He was an old friend that Miss Condrake had come to know, the two going back several years. Now, she was lying on a cot in her nice white gown, her hands resting perfectly upon her chest. She had a more peaceful look on her face.

     Frisk felt Sans put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him. 

     Sans’ expression spoke silent words as he persuaded her not to go running after the corpse. 

     Frisk nodded as she returned to watching the two men lowering her into the ground very carefully.

 

     Once she was in the ground, several more men joined with the two and, using large shovels, began scooping up the dirt and tossing it into the rectangular hole. Frisk and Sans stood with the remaining of the villagers, both holding hands as they watched Miss Condrake join with the earth. Frisk leaned into Sans’ side once the hole was close to being filled, Sans’ hand slipping hers as his arm wrapped itself around her.

…

…

…

     It pained Chara to see his little angel grieving over this. He admired her strength as she kept herself together. He was surprised to see Sans in the same state, though he was sure that like Frisk the skeleton was tearing himself apart. 

     “Old lady… Why didn’t you just accept the deal? You wouldn’t ever have to worry about losing Sans or Frisk again… Living forever… Isn’t that a gift? I bet that any human would do anything to be able to live forever… to see the world every day and never have to leave it… They wouldn’t have to fear dying…”

     “Some humans do…” ??? was standing beside him. “They also fear immortality. The cruelty that comes with it… It’s a gift, but it’s also a curse.”

     “I don’t know how. Explain.”

     “Think about it… Living forever… Being unable to die… Having to deal with constant struggles like depression and disease…”

     “Emma didn’t have any of that… Okay, well she had depression, but still…”

     “Do you think she would happy living forever?”

     “If she is with Sans, then yes.”

     “Oh, so much to learn…”

     “Don’t speak to me like I’m a child. I’m hundreds of years old.”

     “Long time, huh? How does it feel having lived that long? Is there anything you’d like to forget though you cannot?”

     Chara’s eyes widened.

     “Exactly… Only death is the true path to freedom from pain and suffering… no matter how small that is…”

 

     Chara watched the villagers curiously, the gentle breeze blowing back his short, choppy and wild locks. The demon may have been around for a while, but that didn’t mean that he knew everything. This could something he could ask his “angel” about. After all, the two had gotten considerably closer over the past several days since that old woman’s death. Thankfully, the girl hadn’t realized that due to this woman’s passing she and the demon have gotten along way better. Perhaps that was the old woman’s last wish, for Frisk and Chara to finally settle down with each other and be happy. 

     It was an old wise tale of the monsters where if they made a wish right before death, then the wish would come true. They’d also wished upon the stars down in the Underground’s Waterfall area. They don’t anymore, but when they did there were lots… Lots of wishes that unfortunately didn’t come true because they were all were the same thing… and that was the destruction of humans. And yet, look at them all now… He gave a sigh. Monsters… Sometimes, they were just as complicated as humans…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oi, long chapter. I’mma have fun editing this on my phone… TT~TT Well, I’m sorry to myself and everyone else that this is so long. I wanted to make up for the past few crappy chapters, and I felt that I could’ve just compiled all those events into one chapter (though I felt that would’ve been too long LIKE THIS). I don’t know, I’ll let you be the judge. 
> 
>  
> 
> Wanna keep up with me? Curious about updates? Go here, here or here:
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART (I’mma try to update this page with some cool drawings; this is also where I post updates on fics since my Twitter is too “all over the place)
> 
> FelineHollow@Twitter (that’s how Twitter labeled it)
> 
> TheOfficialWai1@Twitter (this is my serious Twitter account)


	22. The Dance of the Angel and the Demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were going to figure it out sometime, Chara... What will you do now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 22… Oi… Well, things are starting to move along a bit. It’s just… taking a while.   
> \- -‘’’’’’’ 
> 
> I was going to get this up on Saturday, but technical difficulties prevented me from doing this… 
> 
>  
> 
> So, I’ve been thinking about later parts of this story, and I’ve got some good stuff comin’ your way. I just have to write it out. Also, I’m working on some reference drawings of what the characters look like. Once I’m done, I’ll upload them and share a link so you can see.  
>  ^^ 
> 
> Previously: Miss Condrake’s funeral is held, and it’s painful for Frisk and Sans. The two mourn over their loved one lost. During this time, Frisk makes up with Chara, and Sans sees that the two indeed have a connection. He contemplates whether to bring them closer or not. It would allow Frisk to heal since she’d have someone to go to in case anything happened to Sans…

_*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP*_

 

     Red blossomed into the blue of the pond, with bits of fabric and skin falling against its now tainted face. Frisk’s face was one of sheer terror as the blood spat at the air before her very eyes, her heart racing as she felt her knees buckle beneath her. The dance had concluded… and quite abruptly.

     It happened so fast. How!? Who could’ve done this!? Frisk stared up at Chara with wide eyes, her bloodied hands clasping around her middle where the blood had pooled. It was so warm against her numbing body. Trembling, she took in frantic breaths as Chara fell to his knees before her and pried her hands away to inspect the damage…

 

A few days earlier…

 

     “Sans…”

     “Hmm?”

     “Do you think that Miss Condrake will come back as something?”

     Sans chuckled as he ran a hand through Frisk’s hair. “I don’t know, maybe…”

     Frisk fiddled with the fabric of his cloak. “Mmm…” 

     Sans sighed as he adjusted his arms around her. “It’s gettin’ late… Should probably get ya home.”

     “Aw… I was hoping I could stay longer,” Frisk said as she looked up at him. 

     “You want to stay here?” 

     “Mhm…”

     “Heh, alright.”

     

     Frisk nuzzled into Sans’ form upon his lap, her small hand clasping to his sweater. Sans smiled softly as he observed her. She looked like she was dozing. He rubbed a hand up and down her back, Frisk sighing tiredly in response. 

     “Sans?” Papyrus came into the room, a concerned look on his face. “I was thinking of heading out for a walk. Would it be alright?”

     “Sure,” Sans said. “It’s dark out, though.”

     “Mmm, I know. I just need to clear my head a bit. Feeling a bit down because I never got to meet Emma… I can’t stand sadness these days…”

     Sans felt a tug at his heart when his brother looked down in dismay. “… I’m sorry… You… You came here to get away from that.”

     “I did…” Papyrus took a deep breath. “Hah… Well, I’ll try not to be gone too long.”

 

     Sans watched as Papyrus left the cabin before looking down at Frisk. She was now fast asleep in his arms. Carefully, he maneuvered his left arm under her knees and stood up, the girl cradled to his chest. He carried her through the living room into his bedroom and slowly lowered her down onto the bed. Frisk mumbled sleepily once his hands left her back, her hands gently clenching and unclenching again. 

     “Is she sleeping?” 

     Sans turned around to see Chara standing by the doorway. “Yeah… She’s really tired.”

     “I’m glad she’s able to rest. I know that today was hard… The funeral and all…”

     “It was…” Sans approached the demon with a solemn expression. “I’m gonna go take a quick shower… Can you keep an eye on her for me?”

     Chara nodded. “Yeah… It’s no trouble.”

     “Thanks…”  
…

     Sans looked exhausted. Chara wanted to ask him if he was really okay, but he felt that prying wasn’t a good idea right now. Instead, he went over to Frisk and pulled the covers over her. She was snoozing peacefully, her small chest rising and falling with each gentle breath she took. 

     “Hah…” Chara brushed her bangs back, his thumb grazing over her forehead. “Frisk…” He sat down beside her as his hand slid to caress the side of her face. “Today’s been hard for you, huh? I tried to understand… It’s very difficult, though. When the monsters pass, they celebrate the life that was lost and scatter the dust over what they favor most. It’s supposed to help the spirit move on.”

     “… Miss Condrake…”

     Chara shushed her gently as Frisk made a pained face. “It’s okay…” he whispered. “It’s just a dream…”

     “Mmm… Come… back…” Frisk rasped in her sleep.

     His eyes falling shut, Chara leaned toward her and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. 

     “… Cha… Chara…”

     “Yes… I’m here…” His forehead connecting with hers, he allowed his soul to open up to hers as she called him forth. “Don’t be afraid… my angel… Come to me… Let me comfort you…”

     Frisk, in her slumber, placed her hand against the one still against the side of her face. 

     “Frisk… Can you hear me?” Chara whispered.

     Frisk didn’t respond, only groaned.

     “It’s okay…” Chara opened his eyes and smiled down at her. “I’m here… Sans will be back soon, so I’m here…”

     Frisk’s eyes suddenly fluttered half-open.   
Chara’s smile faded as both of his hands cupped around her face. “You almost suffered a nightmare… That’s why I woke you…” He silently brushed away the tear that formed at her eye as he waited for Frisk to respond. 

     Frisk slowly sat up, Chara rising up along with her. “Ch… Chara…” 

     “?”

     Frisk began to tremble. “Chara… I…”

     Chara wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay. I won’t tell him.”  
Frisk nodded as she silently cried into his shoulder.

…  
  
     Frisk was surprised she could hold it in as long as she did. Chara was good at keeping secrets, so she knew she could trust him with this. She just needed to let it out one more time, but she didn’t want to do it in front of Sans because he’d suffered enough. So, she let her tears fall on Chara’s shoulder, and he was comforting to her as he whispered to her that she would be okay. 

     Frisk pulled away after a few minutes. She whispered a “thank you” to Chara, and he nodded politely. He got up then and left the room without another word. Frisk sat there pondering his exit. There was no flirting, no teasing, just a simple nod and that was it. What… What was going on with him? That… That wasn’t his normal behavior…

…  
  
     Sans stood under that cold shower for what felt like the longest time. His bones clattered together as he stepped out of the tub onto the mat at his feet. As he worked to dry himself off, he picked up on the connection between Chara and Frisk. He could feel Frisk’s sorrow… but Chara was there to extinguish it. She must not want him to know about it, huh? So, she was allowing Chara to take it. 

     “I really wish I hadn’t raised her to be so considerate,” Sans muttered to himself. “Oi…”  


     Sans slipped on a comfortable white tee and sweatpants, along with his signature pink slippers. He hadn’t worn this in so long… Ever since… that time… when he first left the monsters behind… he’d abandoned his old self there. He’d changed into a different person, someone who wasn’t lazy and stupid… 

     “This time’s different… I have to focus on what’s important. I can’t let Frisk…” Sans squeezed his eye sockets shut as he felt Chara’s presence sleek past the bathroom door. “Hah…” Even Chara was nervous…  
  
…  
  
     “… Don’t let the past destroy you… Use it to make yourselves stronger… Following a strict path won’t provide you with the way out. You have to stray in order to find the answers… Observe the world around you from different angles… That is how you will find the answers to your problems…”

  
  
…

  
  
     A few days had passed. The village was slowly crawling back to life. Every now and again, though, something strange would happen and the village would retreat back into its hollow shell. Frisk didn’t argue over it. She knew that it was only supposed to keep the villagers busy since the monsters were starting to get anxious. 

     Papyrus had gone back to visit the monsters the night he went out to “clear his head”. When he came back the following morning, he’d stated that the monsters were plotting something fierce, and it was against the humans. Asgore had grown extremely frustrated with his estranged wife, Toriel. Due to this, and because of the fact that his son was still deep in his coma, he decided to declare vengeance upon the humans. 

     Chara had been keeping a close eye on Frisk along with Sans, while Napstablook and Muffet kept up their duties as the village’s “spirit of Condrake”. Thankfully, they took the bait and now believed that Emma Condrake was watching over them and doing her best to protect them, even though she had long since passed on. 

     “Frisk…” Chara was watching her now as she curiously dipped a foot into the pond, the pond where she had almost drowned. What a cute little thing she was…   
  
…  
  
     Frisk carefully tiptoed into the chilling water. It was just turning to autumn, but the water wasn’t so cold that it couldn’t be enjoyable. Dressed in a comfortable sweater with pants rolled up to her knees, she gently twirled around out of boredom. She jolted as she heard the sounds of leaves brushing, her soul suddenly tugging at her chest. She looked up, a curious expression on her face. 

     “… Chara?” 

     The demon suddenly dropped down in front of her, both feet planted right against the rippling surface of the water. He bowed to her like the gentleman he felt he was. “Milady?”

     “I thought I was your angel,” Frisk muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest.

     “Whatever you wish… Just trying out some new nicknames. So, what you up to?” Chara put his hands on his hips. “Wading in the water? That’s boring.”

     “If I could do more impressive things like you, I would,” Frisk stated sarcastically.

     Chara grinned casually. “Heh… Wanna try?” He extended a hand to her. “Go on… Take… it…”

     Frisk eyed him suspiciously. “I… don’t know if I should…”

     “C’mon… You can trust me.” Chara winked.

     “Lemme show ya a good time.”

     Frisk sighed. “Fine… But… Ah!”

 

     Frisk was suddenly lifted, her feet resting upon the surface of the water. Chara chuckled as he pulled her closer, his right arm wrapping around the lower half of her back as he grasped her right hand with his left. Frisk, wide-eyed, looked down at the water. She… She was actually… 

     “Pretty cool, huh?” Chara asked as he wiggled an eyebrow. “See? You can do these kinds of things if you try. Now…” Chara twirled around, leading Frisk as he went. “How’s this for a little playtime in the water?”

     “Chara… I…” Frisk was lightly whisked around on the ball of her foot. “Eeee…”

     “Fly with me, Frisk… Show me… Show me what you can do…”

 

     Frisk and Chara commenced in the dance of the angel and the demon. The two were silent, eyes locked with one another, as they glided along the surface of the water, the glossy aquatic floor vibrating with each movement. Chara was grinning confidently, Frisk in awe as she was led across every ounce of that pond. She felt like a feather blowing in the wind, Chara acting as the wind. He twirled her around, lifted her up and back down again. He was a master in the ballroom it seemed. 

     Frisk’s toes grazed through the water as Chara dropped her low and spun her around, creating a light shield of water drops around them as she came flying back up. The water spritzed at the air as Frisk flew, and for that split second it was like everything had gone into slow motion. She was looking down at Chara, staring into his enticing crimson eyes. They were sparking in the sunlight, and the image was magnificent. 

     Frisk didn’t utter a sound as she flew back down into Chara’s arms, her own wrapping around him as she came to stand before him. He looked down at her, his fangs glistening as he showed off that toothy grin. Frisk snorted, Chara chuckling heartily in response.

     “Fun, right?” he asked playfully. 

     “Holy crap you’re good,” Frisk said.

     “Thank ya~”

     “Hehe…”

     “Oh, what’s this? You’re giggling at something I said?”

     Frisk bashfully looked away. “… No… I just…” She stiffened as he turned her back to face him.

     “Frisk…” Chara gently pressed his lips to hers, and she didn’t fight back against it. When he pulled away, his eyes looked tired. “… Frisk… I…”

     “What?” Frisk felt her heart pounding within her chest. God, this was so weird. 

     “I… I think I’m really in lo—”

 

     But Chara didn’t get the chance to finish.  
…  
…  
…  
     “Asriel… My son…” Asgore was kneeling before his son, the boy still trapped in his everlasting slumber. “Asriel… I’m sorry… I’ve tried… but I can’t go through with this anymore… I can’t… Toriel… and I… There is no hope for us… We have nothing left… There’s no fixing it…” 

     “Your majesty! Y-Your majesty!”

     Asgore shot up at the sound of a nasally voice. “What? What word, Alphys?”

     “She… There… There’s been… something c-c-c-confirmed… Ch-Chara’s been… spending… time with her…”

     Asgore’s eyes widened. “What!?”

     “Y-Y-Yes… P-P-Please come with me! I have proof.”

 

     Chara… There was no way… He couldn’t be… He wouldn’t betray the monsters like that… Asgore followed after his subordinate. There was no way…  
…  
…  
…  
     “Got you. You traitor…” The woman possessing the next spear poised to strike stared out into the clearing where the two were engaged… romantically. “That damn brat… I knew that he couldn’t be trusted! I knew it! Argh! Great! He got away, and so did she!”

     The woman grunted in anger as she slammed down her spear, it vanishing moments later. She flicked her long rustic red hair as she turned to head back home. She’d stop by Sans’ another time to confront him about this. For now, she’d let her king in on the demon brat’s little secret. She had a small camera hidden in the little doohickey that Alphys lent her as an eye accessory. It was supposed to help with aiming since her one good eye’s vision was bad. It worked… just not good enough for a kill-shot.

     That second shot would’ve done the trick. But… something had stopped it. The spear had somehow… ricocheted or something… Did that demon summon a shield to stop it? No… No, this was from a different source. Perhaps…

…

     She’d thought that she’d been shot. She’d been shot, she’d been shot. And now, she was going to die right there. The ringing in her ears, the fading sound of her heartbeat, her blurring vision… That’s when she saw that she was okay. She looked down to see that the blood… _It wasn’t hers._

     Frisk looked at Chara with a horrified expression as she realized that it wasn’t her. “Ch… Cha…”

     Chara had a pained expression on his face, though he forced a smile. “Ah… Guess… Guess I’ve been caught…” he rasped before collapsing before Frisk, who was now screaming out his name.

_“CHARA!!!!!”_

 

     Frisk hurriedly yanked him up to his feet and threw him onto her back before taking off into the trees. That’s when a second shot whisked just behind her and Chara, it luckily missing them unlike the first. She fled as fast as lightning, her chest burning within her. It was like it was on fire…

…

     “Okay, just sit here for a minute!” Frisk demanded.

     “I’m fine… Argh… It’s okay… I can… Ngh…” Chara grunted as he was forced to sit upon the couch. 

     “Just stay put, you idiot! Let me go and get the medical kit.”

     Chara called out to Frisk as she ran off. “Hey! I’m fine! I heal quick!”

     Frisk had gone into her bedroom and was gone for a minute before rushing back. “Are you kidding!? A wound like that!? No way!” 

     Chara snickered weakly. “Heh… You’d be surprised…”

 

     Chara’s left shoulder blade had been torn open, an ugly slash with red splattered all over his back. Frisk gasped as he coughed up spatters of blood, her hands frantically searching through the medical kit she had for some gauze and medicine cream. Once she found both, she set them upon the coffee table before the couch and came over to Chara’s side.

     “Okay… I just… I’m sorry, I need to tear this away,” Frisk said as she tore through the back of Chara’s sweater and overalls. 

     “Frisk… I don’t…” Chara fell silent as he felt his back being exposed. 

     Frisk’s eyes widened at what she saw. “What… What…?”

 

     There were large violet red markings on his back. Chara hissed as the left marking began to bulge, Frisk jolting in surprise as something began phasing through his skin. She stood in utter shock as the thing flapped out before her with a wet slipping sound. It looked to be cut, almost completely torn in the same fashion on Chara’s shoulder blade. It was a dull violet red, and it was pretty big. It was also indeed attached to Chara’s back. This thing was a…  
…  
…  
…  
     “I saw them! They were dancing around like the fools they are!” The woman who’d taken the shot was standing there with her arms crossed over her small chest. “He was clearly enjoying himself with her! That human… She…”

     “I don’t understand… Chara…” Asgore shook his head. “I don’t understand… He… He was supposed to be on our side… But…” Asgore looked up at the large screen before him. The demon was smiling as he danced around with the human girl. “This… This isn’t right… He was supposed to be out trying to find a cure for my son… but here he is… _dancing…_ with her…” 

     “What should we do?” Alphys asked quietly.

     “I say we execute him!” the woman declared. 

     “Undyne…”

     “What!? He is clearly stating ‘fuck you’ right to our faces this way! He’s nothin’ but a pathological liar! That’s it!”

     “B-But… I-I…”

     “Please, both of you cease this incessant arguing at once.” Asgore turned to the woman with dismay. “I really don’t want to hurt Chara… Please… just… Give me some time to think…”

     “Understood…” Undyne muttered as she turned to leave Alphys’ quarters.   


     Asgore bid Alphys farewell before heading back out into the world he was much more comfortable with, the one without computers and bright lights and annoying machines with beeping sounds. His nostrils flared, his lips curled in anger as he silently seethed with rage. How could Chara do this? HOW!?   
That demon… He’d gained the trust of his son… HIS SON… and yet… there he was… dancing with that human… She… She was the reason that Chara was keeping kept from saving Asriel. She was the reason that Chara had abandoned his duty. She had to go… one way or another. She couldn’t be allowed to live… 

     “Perhaps I can help.”

     Asgore froze as he heard a small voice, a very friendly one at that. He turned around, eyes bulging, as he came face to face with… _it._

     “Golly… You sure do hate that demon, huh?”

     “You… You’re…” Asgore blinked a few times. This thing… It couldn’t be… But…

     “Yeah… I’m sure you’ve picked up on me now that I’ve shown myself to you… Say, how’s about we help each other out, eh? I destroy that girl for you, and then maybe you can do something for me.”

     “… I…”

     “C’mon… You can trust me. I’m a monster, just… like… you… So, how about it?”

     Asgore felt that he should decline… “What do you want?”

     The flower grinned sweetly, it perfectly hiding its true colors from Asgore. “I want to destroy the humans just as much as you do… However, I’ll need something in order to do that… You see, they hurt me… and I want to get back at them for it…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GASP! Chara has…!!! 
> 
> I’m glad I came up with this idea. It’s pretty creative. ^^ Also, sorry this chapter is so much shorter. It kills me trying to edit it all on my phone. TT. TT Oh, and Undyne and Alphys have come into play now too, so yay. Things are picking up now, which is good. 
> 
> I’m so sorry I’m taking a while. I’m comfortable writing more “slice of life” kind of things, but I want to write more excitable content. So, I guess I’m just practicing, kind of easing my way into it. 
> 
>  
> 
> Wanna keep up with me? Curious about updates? Go here, here or here:
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART (Yeah… This is just an update blog thing for fanfics now. Check there every now and again for updates…)
> 
> FelineHollow@Twitter (my shit-post Twitter)
> 
> TheOfficialWai1@Twitter (my actual Twitter where I post art and stuff; I like it better than DA…)


	23. The Undying Desire for Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wouldn't you want to do anything to save those you care about most, even if there be obstacles standing in your path?
> 
> But, what if you don't understand these feelings because you've never really bothered to even acknowledge just a bit?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 22 was more of a filler chapter I think, to kind of build up to something new. So, that gives me a good excuse to whip out another chapter the same day as this. That’s probably when I really should whip out two or three chapters at a time. I’m so horrible to myself… TT TT
> 
>  
> 
> Previously: Not much happens. Things are pretty chill… until a new threat emerges, and she’s out for blood. She sees Chara as a traitor, and this will not go over well with King Asgore as he declares war against the humans due to anger and resentment over personal squabbles.

     Frisk couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Even she knew that he was a demon, it was a bit of shock since she’d never seen this before. 

     “Frisk… Ah…” 

     Frisk shook her head. “Ah! I’m sorry…”

 

     Attached to Chara’s body was, and Frisk was sure that the other marking represented the second, an actual _wing._ It actually looked almost like an angel wing, just no feathers. It had the various tips protruding at the ends, though they were sharp rather than dull. She couldn’t see any horns or anything, nothing typical of a demon’s wing. 

     Chara hissed in pain, prompting Frisk to again refocus on what was important. She carefully treated Chara’s wound before applying the gauze. It was difficult to get the bandage around the wing, but she managed. Once she was done, she stood back to admire her work before tending to Chara’s shoulder blade. The demon was sweating bullets as he panted under his breath. He was clearly fighting back against the pain. 

     “Chara…” Frisk mumbled as she worked. “… Are you okay?”

     Chara nodded slowly. “I’m… fine…”

     “You’re doing great. Just hold on a little longer…”

 

     Chara did his best to take the pain as Frisk dressed his wound. Once she was done, he asked if he could use the restroom. Frisk nodded as she helped him up and guided him there. Once he was there, he stumbled inside and closed the door. Frisk waited for an agonizing five minutes before she decided to knock. She was relieved to hear Chara’s rasping voice as he muttered for her to wait a minute. 

     “Ah… God… I had to… take a piss…” Chara stumbled back out, Frisk stepping aside to let him through. “Ah…”

     “Chara… You…” Frisk pointed to his damaged wing. “I… I just…”

     “Yeah… I have a wing, Frisk… Stop acting like I’m an exotic animal from a zoo exhibit.”

     “I’m sorry… I just… I didn’t… I’d never seen it…”

     Chara blushed as he looked away. “Geez, would you be this surprised if you found out I had two dicks?”

     “What!?” Frisk squealed.

     “I’m being sarcastic,” Chara muttered as he staggered his way back to the couch. 

     Frisk’s face was extremely hot, her eyes wide as she, NOT OBVIOUSLY, let her eyes wander to his… personal spot with a curious look on her face. 

     “Ow…” Chara sat down on the couch with a hiss. “Uh… What are you looking at?”

     “NOTHING!” Frisk stated as she quickly looked away, her face red as a tomato.

     “Ugh… I should go. I’m sorry.” Chara got up to leave, but stopped short as something clasped tightly around his wrist.

     “No! Stay…” 

     Chara looked over his shoulder in surprise. “Fr… Frisk…”

     “You’re hurt… and I feel like it’s my fault.”

     “Frisk… Please… I really just need to be… Ah!” Chara had turned around to leave when he bumped his wing into the wall. He fell to the floor upon his knees. “Ah god! Ouch!”   


     Frisk knelt beside Chara as he folded his wing inward, the demon fighting to hold back tears. Frisk asked him if there was anything she could do, and he shook his head. She then suggested that he lie down for a while, to which Chara declined. However, Frisk wouldn’t take no for an answer. Against the demon’s wishes, she helped him to his feet and walked him across the living room to her bedroom where she carefully laid him down. Chara’s wing sort of hung off the bed, so Frisk went to grab a chair from kitchen area of her cabin as well as a couch pillow for the wing to rest on.

     “Chara… I’m really sorry…” Frisk mumbled as she positioned his wing on the chair.

     “Frisk, it’s not your fault,” Chara grumbled. 

     Frisk teared up as she looked down at him. “Chara… I thought that I was shot… and then when I saw you were… I got really scared…”

     Chara stared up at her in surprise. “Frisk…”  
“I really hope that you’re okay… because… I don’t…” Frisk lowered her head. “I’m sorry… I need to use the restroom myself now.”

…  
  
     Chara felt like the scum of the earth as Frisk hurried off to the bathroom. She’d thought that the spear was fatal, and that it had struck through her. But, seeing him get hurt made it so much worse. She was probably going to call Sans now. He wouldn’t blame her for it, though. 

     “Damn you, Undyne… You just had to destroy it… I finally had her…” Chara whispered. “Damn you…”  
  
…  
  
     “Hello?” Sans was sitting in the kitchen with Papyrus having a cup of coffee when his phone rang. “Huh? Frisk?” He frowned as he leaned forward, Papyrus now concerned as he looked back at his brother. “What? Shit… Okay… Okay, just calm down. I’ll be right there, okay?” Sans hung up the phone. “Sorry, I gotta go. Chara got hurt.”

     “What happened!?” Papyrus asked.

     Sans’ eye sockets narrowed. “Next time you see Undyne, tell her that she’s just granted herself a death wish.”

     Papyrus frowned. “Oh no…”

     “She’s lucky she didn’t hit Frisk. She’d be dead on the spot if she did.”

 

     Sans was beyond furious. He was so angry that he felt like punching through a concrete wall. His soul was dripping with malice and rage over Undyne’s antics. She’d put his little human in harm’s way. She was going to get it once they crossed paths. 

     The skeleton teleported to the living room of Frisk’s cabin, where the girl was pacing around with her hands clasped to her head. When she saw Sans, she ran over and clung to him for dear life. Panic rushed through him when he saw the blood, but then relaxed as he quickly remembered that it wasn’t hers. 

     “He’s in my bedroom…” Frisk croaked. “He’s hurt real bad…”

     “Okay… Just calm down,” Sans said gently. “Stressing him out won’t help.”

     Frisk buried her face in his side as she sobbed over how stupid she felt.

     Sans comforted her for a minute before she pulled away and led him to Chara.

     Chara was breathing slowly and heavily, his eyes squeezed shut with his teeth tightly ground together. 

     “Chara? Are you alright?” Sans asked as he approached.

     The demon cracked one eye open. “Oh… hey… How goes it… pal?”

     “I’m good. I see that Undyne got to ya.”

     “Heh… Yeah… She did…”

     Sans turned around to see Frisk wiping away her tears. 

     “She’s a mess, isn’t she?”

     Sans nodded sadly. “Yep…”

     “You go and comfort her. It’s not like I’m going anywhere. Too sore to…”  


     Sans sighed as he returned to Frisk, who was looking down at the floor in shame. Sans guided her back to the living room where the two took a seat on the couch. He asked her if she needed anything, and she shook her head. Sans pulled her in close to her, Frisk relaxing with her head in his lap. 

     “He’ll be okay…” Sans whispered. 

     Frisk nodded silently.

     “You will be, too…”

     “… I don’t want to lose him like I lost Miss Condrake…”

     “I know…”

 

     Frisk closed her eyes as Sans brushed his fingers through her hair. She wasn’t sleepy, but it felt good and helped to calm her frayed nerves. After about ten minutes, Sans asked if she was feeling better. Frisk nodded slowly as she sat back up. Sans lightly kissed the side of her head as Frisk rubbed at her right burning eye. She then got up and went into the kitchen to fetch some water for Chara. Sans watched her as she waited for the sink to fill the glass. The poor demon should at least stay hydrated, right?  
  
…  
  
     Frisk and Sans both stayed by Chara’s side throughout the rest of the day and night. Chara had fallen asleep around a little after eleven, so Frisk and Sans stayed in the living room together. Sans was sitting with his head leaning back, Frisk wrapped up in his cloak with a pillow propping her head against his lap. That was how Chara found them when he awoke the next morning.

     Morning seemed to come quickly. When Chara sat up, he gave his wing a test fold. It didn’t hurt. Carefully, he undid the bandages to see that his wound was completely healed now. Using his magic, he removed the bandages plastered his left shoulder blade before discarding everything in the trash can.

     When he entered the living room, he saw that Sans and Frisk were still sleeping. Frisk mumbled something in her sleep as Chara approached. He ducked down and pecked at her head, the girl stirring only slightly.   
Chara smiled warmly at both her and Sans before he teleported out of the room and into a dark, quiet place.

     “… Ah… Good to be home…”

 

     Chara called a small alcove his homely abode. There was a gaping hole in the center of the rocky ceiling, the ground covered in a soft grassy surface. It was always trimmed down thanks to the use of magic, though Chara kept it thick since it felt nice. He hummed a little tune to himself as he pranced along the emerald floor over to a large chest where he kept fresh pairs of clothing. Thankfully, he had a spare sweater and overalls, both of which along with the ones he’d been wearing sewn together by Toriel.

     “… Ngh…” Chara bent back a little as he retreated his wing back into himself, it sliding through his skin like a hot knife through butter. Moments later, only a marking was visible. “Ah… Much better…”

 

     Chara quickly threw on his spare sweater and exchanged overalls. He’d ask Toriel if she could fix the damaged pair later. Right now, he needed to go and have a little talk with a certain someone… a fish whose gills were going to be peeled and laid out to dry against their way of functioning. He’d watch her flail around like the literal fish out of water she was. Oooooooh, she was gonna get it… Crossing a major line… That’s what she’d done… and now she was gonna pay for it.  
  
…

     Undyne was known as the toughest of the tough. She could bench-press several children at once, and she was easily able to break bones like twigs. It was true, too. She once shattered a buff male monster’s nose after he called her good friend Alphys a “nerdy thot”. The guy had to have surgery due to his nostrils being pushed straight into his eye sockets. 

     Undyne wasn’t like the other monsters. She was an actual fish, her appearance abrupt and her past shrouded in mystery. When she first arrived, it was in the area of Waterfall. She emerged from the water gasping and coughing, fearful that she wouldn’t be able to breathe air. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case for her. She, unlike her parents, was able to breathe air just fine. It was never confirmed whether to be due to magic or another impossible cause, but nonetheless she was grateful. 

 

     Undyne helped to gather the seven human souls needed to break the Barrier, Sans acting as her partner along with Toriel and other fellow monsters. She never showed remorse for them, only hatred. She served to protect the ones who gave her a home, a place to belong.

     When she was told of what the humans did, she was skeptical at first. However, she was able to see the proof herself when Alphys provided evidence through the use of cameras she’d placed at the edge. She’d caught footage of humans teasing monsters standing right at the exit, laughing and pointing at the monsters and heckling them for being trapped like caged animals that could apparently destroy anything and yet not some thin barrier of magic. An undying desire for justice had been burning within her since, and she was determined to grant the humans the pain she and her fellow people deserved. 

     “Oh… I see he’s here…” She whipped her long red ponytail, her pale blue scales illuminated by the sunlight. 

     “Undyne…” Chara’s eyes were glowing, both narrowed like daggers poised to strike.

     A shadow was cast over the upper half of his face, giving him an even more menacing appearance. 

     “I love the scowl,” Undyne teased with a cold purr. “Ooooooh, I bet that you’re just… furious… aren’t you?”

     Chara snarled as his nostrils flared. _This bitch… She tried to hurt Frisk… How dare her!_

     “You gonna come at me or what?” Undyne summoned a spear in her hand. “Let’s go!”

     A low growl emerged within Chara’s throat as he crouched low. “Come at me, see what happens.”

 

     Undyne charged at the demon, who flew from his spot on all fours and right at the fish warrior. She yelled in surprised as Chara tackled her to the ground, her arms quickly pinned at either side of her. She tried to move, but to no avail. Chara snickered darkly as his magic coiled around her as an invisible force, the fish woman grunting as she struggled to free herself. She attempted to scream out for help, Chara’s hand quick to fall against her dry lips as he shushed her with a finger to his pursed lips. 

     “You made a fatal mistake, Undyne…” Chara’s free hand traced over Undyne’s quivering throat. “You tried to harm my little angel… Now you will pay…” His fingertips grazed over the small folds frantically opening and closing again. 

     Undyne gasped through his hand over her mouth as she felt his fingers slip into her gills, a sharp pain quickly erupting. She let out a scream as she felt something pierce the side of her throat. 

     Chara grinned evilly as he watched her squirm beneath him. “That’s right… Feel my pain… the pain you caused me… and my little angel…” Chara curled his fingers inward, his nails slowly puncturing the folds of her gills.

     “I’m going to tear you apart… you ungrateful degenerate…”

      _Ch-Chara… Please… Don’t…_

     Chara paused, his eyes widening. “That voice…”

_Please… Don’t do this… You can’t… the quiet voice croaked._

     “Wha…”

      _Chara… Please… St-Stop…_

     Chara looked around. “As…”

_… Please… stop…_

     A look of concern flashed across Chara’s face. “Asriel…”

     “Chara!”

     The demon jumped as the sound of a much firmer voice sounded off in the distance. 

     “What are you doing!?”

 

     Undyne gasped for air as she was released from Chara’s grasp. He stood up, his eyes glaring as he looked back down at her. Undyne fearfully scrambled as he stepped away from her. The undying desire for justice… Heh, it wasn’t there anymore, was it? He’d knocked her down just as quickly as she’d built herself up.

     Desire… What a powerful emotion it was… It could easily manipulate someone into doing the most foolish of things. Chara especially knew this since it had gotten to him too. It was worth it, though. He was able to instill the fear he wanted her to feel, what Frisk had felt… and the pain that he’d suffered for a short while. 

     “Chara, I need to talk with you, right now.” Asgore was now towering over the demon, a glare on his face. “You…”

     Chara turned around to face him. “Well… I guess this was gonna happen at some point. Alright… let’s get this over with…”  
  
…  
  
     Alphys trembled as she spotted Undyne emerge from within the draping leaves that led into the throne area. She came over to stand with her, Alphys quick to check her over. No serious injuries, just bruises. Chara came through with Asgore, who was muttering curses under his breath. 

     “You traitor… You betrayed us,” Asgore said. “You’ve been spending time with a human… a human!”

     “Asgore… She’s not a threat,” Chara stated casually. “Trust me on this…”

     “She is a human! Her people have destroyed us!” Asgore cried. “You were supposed to be out looking for a way to cure my son’s eternal slumber! And yet, there you were, prancing around with a human! And, to top that off, you decided to target Undyne!”

     “She targeted me,” Chara shot back. He whirled around in her direction. “That fish bitch almost killed me and her!”

     “That human… You’ve allowed emotion to invade your priorities…” Asgore glowered down at the human. “You’ve damaged my trust in you, Chara… How are you going to fix it?”

     Chara stared up in horror at the goat monster. “Are you kidding!? She tried to kill me! You should be scolding her, not me!”

     “I wasn’t the one dancing around with a human!” Undyne spat. 

     Chara’s eyes rolled into his head as he summoned forth a wave of magic. “Y o u  b e t t e r  s h u t  y o u r  m o u t h  r i g h t  n o w . . .”

     Undyne shivered at Chara’s dark tone.

     “Chara, I will not tolerate this behavior! You promised to help my son!” Asgore shouted.

     “I understand that you want justice for what happened!” Chara’s expression returned to normal as he faced the king. “But, you can’t go about it this way! That girl hasn’t done any wrong!”

     “She is what is keeping you from completing what is asked of you… We had a deal.”

     “Asriel wouldn’t want this!” 

     “Are you saying that you’re backing out!?”

     “No! I’m just saying that… that…” Chara sighed. Clearly, this wasn’t getting them anywhere. “Look… I can’t just whip up a cure for something like this.”

     “Clearly not.” Asgore turned around. “I guess you don’t care about my son after all…”

     Chara felt a sharp pang in his chest at those words. _No… I… I can’t…_ “That’s not true… I… I love Azzy…”

     “Obviously you love that girl more than you love him.”

     Chara clenched his hands into fists as he looked down at the ground.

     “Your desire for her is much greater than—”

**_“SHUT UP!!!!!!”_ **

 

     Silence befell everyone. Asgore turned back around with a look of shock on his face, Chara still as a statue as he refused to acknowledge him. Alphys was now cowering behind Undyne, the fish woman silently smirking as her eye narrowed with a proud glint. 

     “Wipe that smirk off your face before I tear it off!” Chara hissed without looking up.

     Undyne and Alphys both gasped as an unseen force whipped at both of their heads.

     “You cease this incessant tantrum right now!” Asgore demanded. “You have no right to be angry with us when you’re the one guilty of betrayal! Asriel would be ashamed you! You turned your back on him because of that human!”

     “Don’t you DARE say that!” Chara’s head sprang up, his eyes bulging with anger. “You’re WRONG! SO WRONG!” 

     Asgore scoffed at him before walking away. “You’re just like Toriel… Turning your back on the ones you swore to protect… because you feel like you’re better off on your own… because you feel like they’re not worth it…” 

     Chara opened his mouth to speak again, but the tug at his chest interrupted him. It was Frisk. She was looking for him…  
  
…  
  
     “He’s not here,” Frisk said. 

     “He must’ve gone home to change,” Sans said. “You want me to make you something for breakfast?”

     “I… I guess… WAH!”

 

     Sans turned around in alarm, his soul pulsating within him. To his surprise (and relief), it was only Chara. However… it wasn’t the demon that he was used to seeing. This demon… This demon was… crying? 

     “Chara… Chara… What’s wrong?” Frisk managed to ask as Chara clung to her, the tears streaming down his face. “Chara…”

     Sans approached the two with caution. “Chara?”

     Chara quietly sobbed into Frisk’s shoulder.

     “Chara…” Frisk wrapped her arms around him. “Tell me what’s wrong… Please…”

     “Fr… Frisk…” Chara whispered. He pulled away from her after a few moments. “I’m really sorry…” He managed a smile. “I just… You called me toward you… so… I came here… to check on you… I’m so sorry…” 

     “Chara… I…”

     Chara put up a hand as he looked away. “Please… just… don’t… I… I have to go.”

 

     Chara fled from Frisk’s cabin as she called out to him. Sans ran out the door to try and seek him out, but he was already gone. Frisk came to stand next to him, confusion expressed on both of their faces.   
  
…  
  
     “You let desire consume you… and now it’s twisted into pain and despair…” The shadowy figure stood at the epicenter of the forest. He was observing the demon now, the creature curled up into a ball within his alcove of a home. “… Your emotions… You let them get to you… You let yourself become attached to her… and now you feel ashamed because you’ve been told you left behind the one you saw as your family… You care deeply about that goat child… I know this is hard for you… You’ve never dealt with emotion before… It’s a process… but in time you will learn… Your undying desire for justice… for that boy… and that old woman… and that girl… even Sans… you will achieve it as long as you overcome your struggles with emotion… You must learn to accept them… to accept others… and yourself… If you fail… you will never get another chance… Don’t let this chance become like the others… Fight for them, Chara… If you care that much about them… fight for them…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :( Poor Chara baby… He needs a hug too… I promise, this will all come full circle, don’t give up on me just yet. I can’t reveal the reason because it’s a HUGE spoiler, so… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. I’m trying really hard not to drop obvious hints. OOOOOOOOH, it’s so hard.
> 
>  
> 
> Wanna keep up with me? Curious about updates? Go here, here or here:
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART (Yeah… This is just an update blog thing for fanfics now. Check there every now and again for updates…)
> 
> FelineHollow@Twitter (my shit-post Twitter)
> 
> TheOfficialWai1@Twitter (my actual Twitter where I post art and stuff; I like it better than DA…)


	24. Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk is a foolish child... Little girls should never explore the forest at night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um… Hi… How’s everybody doin’? Yeah… I’m so sorry. I was planning to upload this MUCH sooner, along with two other fic updates, and I caught this stupid bug that left me sick for days on end… TT.TT I’m so sorry! This chapter’s been done (along with the other two things) for a while. I just… forgot… until tonight. I was looking through my stuff and then… yeah. ./////^/////. 
> 
>  
> 
> Previously: Chara and Frisk are targeted by Undyne the Undying, Chara taking the hit. Frisk is extremely worried over Chara, while the demon sets his sights on vengeance against Undyne. However, his past comes back to haunt him as Asgore discovers his closeness with Frisk and Asriel’s spirit surfaces. Chara, feeling guilt and shame over Frisk being put in danger, decides to take off and leave her wondering what’s wrong.

     “Sans… I’m really worried. I feel like we should go after him.” Frisk crossed her arms over her chest. “Seriously…”

     “Frisk, I told you already.” Sans turned to face her. “It’s better if he has some alone time. Besides, I always thought you wanted nothing to do with him.”

     Frisk averted Sans’ gaze. “Well… I…”

     Sans cocked a brow bone. “Oh?”

     “I don’t know… I just… I guess he’s grown on me…” Frisk looked back up at the skeleton. “Chara was shot at not too long ago. Maybe that’s why he’s upset…?”

     Sans sighed. “Frisk…” The skeleton approached the small human girl and knelt down before her. “Sweetheart, I know that you want to help him, but trust me… It’s for the best that he’s left alone.”

     A downcast expression formed on Frisk’s face. 

     “Frisk…”

     The human looked up at the skeleton. “Sans… I’m really worried about him. Maybe we should go out and find him… I don’t know, I just… I really…”

     Sans sighed. “Frisk…” Sans put his hands on her shoulders. “Honey, you’ve got to trust me here. Just give Chara some space, and he’ll come to you when he’s ready.”

     “That’s what you’ve been telling me, and it’s not working!” Frisk cried. 

     Sans nodded. “I know… I really wish that I could help you… but I don’t know how.”

     Frisk’s head fell. 

     “Frisk?”

     “It’s fine… You know what’s best…” she mumbled quietly.

     “Hey.” Sans cupped a hand along her cheek. “Sweetheart.”

     Frisk raised her head to look at him. 

     “If he needs you, he’ll come to you,” Sans said. “Don’t force yourself onto him. That will only push him away.”

     Frisk nodded tiredly. 

     “Hah… Look, I have to get home. It’s after dark, and Papyrus is probably worried. Are you gonna be okay here? If you want, you can stay with me for the night.”

     “I’ll be fine.”

     Sans didn’t look like he was buying it.

     “I promise. I’m just… I’m tired… I think I’m gonna go to bed.”

     “Hah… Fine… Guess I’ll go on home then.”

     “Okay.”

     Sans rose up to his feet. “Okay then…”

     “Have a safe trip, okay?” 

     Sans snorted. “Of course.”

     “Well, no offense…” Frisk shuffled her feet, her hands slipping behind her. “You’re kinda gettin’ up there.”

     Sans’ eye socket twitched as his eye lights faded. 

     “I’m just saying.” Frisk’s eyes evaded Sans’ icy glare, a faint smile on her face. “Old men like you typically need some assistance getting around.”

     “You’re seriously close to getting a smack upside the head.”

     Frisk giggled. “I guess a ‘goodbye hug’ is out of the question then?”

     Sans’ mouth wavered as air blew from his nasal cavity. 

     “Whaaaaat?”

     Sans shook his head. 

     “Hmm?” Frisk cocked her head, an innocent look on her face.

     “You’re so lucky you’re cute,” Sans muttered as he wrapped his arms around her. 

     “You love me and you know it,” Frisk challenged.

     “That has yet to be determined.”

     “Hey!”

 

     Sans gave a light chuckle as he ruffled Frisk’s hair. He gave her a small kiss on the head before bidding her goodnight and disappearing into the air. Once he was gone, Frisk went into her room and climbed into bed. 

     “Ooooooh…” Frisk stretched her arms out. “… Hah… Man, it’s so late…” She rested her head upon her pillow. “… Chara…”

 

     Frisk was extremely worried about Chara. The demon was all she could think about… As agitating as that was, she couldn’t just ignore him when he was hurting. That’s when Frisk sat up and looked toward her closet. Hmm… Quite the difficult decision, but… Ooooooooooh, Sans would surely be pissed if he found out she did something like this. Maybe, if she was quick enough, she could be back before morning. Mmm… Sans was still up, though. Maybe she should wait a bit…

     Frisk got off of bed and paced around the room for a few minutes, her mind swimming in thoughts over how she could carry out her plan… Well, in the meantime, she could prepare. Frisk went over to her closet and started picking out some warm clothes to wear. The nights were starting to get chillier since autumn had started its takeover. 

     “Alright…” Frisk finished tying her sneakers. “Now…” She put her hands on her hips. “Just gotta wait for Sans…”

 

     Frisk gave it another hour or so before she tried calling Sans. He didn’t pick up. Good, that meant he was sleeping. So, clad in her comfortable t-shirt and sweater, jeans and sneakers, Frisk stuffed a small backpack with some wrapped snacks and a few bottles of water before heading out the door and proceeding toward the edge of the village. Everyone else appeared to be asleep, the lights off. Napstablook must be giving them a break tonight…

     “Frisk…”

     The girl turned around on cue.

     “Napstablook…”

     The ghost was quivering, a nervous look on his face. “Frisk… I don’t know if you should be…”

     “Are you going to try and stop me?” Frisk challenged, her arms crossing over her chest.

     “I don’t know… I think I should… but…” Napstablook gave a soft moan. “Ooooooooh no…”

     “If you’re that worried, just come with me,” Frisk suggested. 

     Napstablook jolted. “No! No way!” he squeaked. “It’s too… scary…” Napstablook covered his eyes with his nubby hands. “Noooooo…”

     “Well, then just stay here.” Frisk turned around to leave. 

     “Frisk!”

     “Do not tell Sans ANYTHING,” Frisk snapped as she whirled back around. “I am serious.”

     “But—”

     Frisk put up a finger. “No!”

     Napstablook fell to the ground in a pitiful heap, his large pale blue eyes staring up at Frisk as he silently pleaded.

     “No Napstablook,” Frisk said firmly.

     “Blooooo…” Napstablook whimpered.

     “No.” Frisk turned the other cheek and started walking away. 

     “Nooo… Come back… Frisky… Bloooo…”

     Frisk paused as she felt the ghost’s adorable cries tug at her heartstrings. No… No! She shook her head. 

     Napstablook started whimpering again.

     “You can try and be cute all you want. It’s not going to work.”

 

     Frisk left the ghost to pitifully cry by himself as she marched into the woods. Nothing was going to stop her from finding Chara. She was tired of sitting around and doing nothing. She was going to set things straight. Sans clearly wasn’t getting the job done, so she felt she had to do it. She didn’t know how, but she’d figure that part out. 

     This had to be why Chara had become so distant… Ever since Miss Condrake’s death, he’d been acting strange, and then when they were attacked that one day when she and he danced upon the water he became all the more squirrely. Frisk was tired of all of this. She wanted answers, and she was going to get them whether Chara wanted to give them or not.

…

     Chara was stirring inside of his homely abode, curled up in the corner on a comfortable bed made up of cotton and a thick blanket. The exhaustion from crying had become too much for him and so he wound up crashing for a little while. He rubbed at his eyes as he rose up to the sitting position. Goodness, how late was it? The moon was high above him… 

     “Ugh…” He rested a palm to his forehead. “Geez, my head…” He felt so groggy, and his head was fuzzy.

 

     Chara lowered himself back down upon his “snoozing cloud” and closed his eyes so he could go back to sleep. His stomach was growling quietly with hunger, but he was too drained to move… 

     “… Ugh…” Chara slapped at his puffy bedding. “God…” Food… His greatest weakness… “Hah… Alright, one quick snack and then—”

 

!!! (Insert Solid Snake Alarm here)

 

     Chara shot up in surprise, his eyes wide as they darted to the entrance of the alcove. His soul… Chara grunted as he doubled over. His chest… It felt so… tight, like something heavy was sitting on it. He could feel the tug at it, except it wasn’t a tug. It was more like a fierce yank. Chara clutched at his chest as his soul threatened to tear from within it, his teeth grinding together. 

     “… !” Chara stiffened a look of horror flashed across his face. “Oh no… No…” The demon got up and ran to the entrance. “No… She’s not really…” Chara crept out of the alcove. Oh no…

…

     Frisk felt the euphoria flowing through her veins as she crouched low to the ground. She’d never, ever been this far out before… She’d never been past Sans’ cabin before, and yet here she was. Oh, he was going to be so angry with her… Why did that excite her so much? Frisk giggled as she thought about what he would say. Oh, she bet that his skull of a head would explode if he spotted her doing this! He’d be so angry! Oh ho ho!

     “… God, I’m a spiteful child,” Frisk whispered.

 

     Ah geez… She was starting to feel bad for this. Maybe Napstablook was right… This wasn’t some game she was playing here. She was risking her life for someone who was the most obnoxious, troublemaking brat she knew. And, Sans had said that it was probably best to leave Chara be. But… there were important factors here. He was a demon, so she was curious. He was also troubled and refused to tell her why. He also suffered a serious injury, so… she just had to check on him. 

     “I’m not leaving you, Chara...” Frisk whispered. “Like it or not… you’re going to talk to me.”

*rustle rustle*

     “Yah!” Frisk sprung to her feet and darted forward. Whipping her head over her shoulder, she gave a sigh of relief. “Geez…” A small rabbit appeared at her feet. “You scared me…” 

     The rabbit twitched its nose before quickly bounding away.

 

     Frisk chuckled at the sight of the rabbit before returning her focus to what was important. She shivered as she heard the ominous hooting of an owl in the distance, the chirping of the grasshoppers… Was the forest always this eerie at night? Every time she took a step, she’d jump at the sound of the twigs snapping and the leaves crunching beneath her sneakers, though she’d register the source of the noise as an unknown prowler stalking behind her. What if… What if someone was following her? 

     Frisk desperately fought off the paranoia that threatened to control her conscious. She found herself looking over her shoulder more often, as well as ducking low to the ground or hiding behind a tree whenever she heard a noise that wasn’t of her own doing. Perhaps she should just go on home. But, wait… Which way was home? Frisk did a 360 of her surroundings. She was so far from Sans’ cabin… She didn’t recognize anything, and it was so dark… 

     “No… Oh no…” Panic began to surface within Frisk’s mind. “Um…”   


     Her heart began to gallop as Frisk whipped her head about. She had no clue where she was… Sans didn’t know she was out here… and Napstablook had (sort of) told her not to go. God, this was a mistake, a huge mistake. This felt so much like… Frisk’s blood ran cold. This felt so much like that night… that night those two monsters had found her… that night when the village suffered the outbreak… that night when she’d found her parents dead… and she was left all alone… only this time Sans wasn’t there to help her. 

     “Hello? Anyone?” Frisk called. “Hello? Anyone!? Anyone out there!?” Frisk cautiously stepped out into a small clearing, the trees overhead blocking the comfort of the moon. “Sans! Chara! Anyone!” Frisk hugged her sides. “Hello…” 

     Just then… “Hello there…”

     “Huh?” Frisk looked around. Oh no, was someone watching her? Or worse… was Chara watching her? “Chara? Is that you? Come on out!”

     “Hehehehe…”

     “Show yourself!”

     “Huhuhuhuhuhu~”

     “Chara?” Frisk turned around. There was no one there.

     “Hellooooooo, little girl~”

     “Huh? Who’s there?” Frisk squinted as she searched through the darkness. “Chara? Show yourself to me!”

     “Hehehehehe, not Chara~” the sudden voice sang. 

     “What?” Frisk rose up to her feet. “Where are you?”

     “Teehee, down here.”

     Frisk looked down. “Ah… A… A flower?”  


     Frisk couldn’t believe her eyes, but then again she did know a talking skeleton and a demon as well. At her feet was indeed a small flower, but one she’d never seen before. This one had really pretty golden petals like any typical flower, but… she didn’t ever recall plants having faces. This one had small black eyes and a huge grin, and it appeared to be swaying his stem left and right as it was trying to dance. 

     “Oh, what’s a pretty little thing like you doin’ out here?” the plant asked in a friendly voice.

     “Um… I…” Frisk shivered as the flower leaned in toward her. 

     “Howdy there, I’m Flowey, Flowey the Flower. And you are?”

     “I… I’m…”

     “Hmm?” The flower tilted its head. 

     “F-Frisk,” the human stammered.

     “Oh! What a lovely name! I like that a lot! Hehe!” The flower put a petal to its grin. “It’s nice to meet you. Teehee!”

     “Ah… I…”

     “Oh, don’t worry. I don’t mean you any harm! I promise, I’m a good boy! Hehe~” The flower stuck its tongue out as it gave a wink.

     “Say, maybe I can help you. After all, you’re lost aren’t you?”

     “How…” Frisk frowned. “How did you… know?”

     “Oh… Well…” A bashful look flashed across the flower’s face. “I was… watching you…” The plant shyly looked away. “I’m sorry… I hope you’re not offended by that.”

     “No… I guess not…”

     “Hmm… How come you’re out here anyway?”

 

     Frisk wrung her hands together as she hesitated on a response. Should she really trust this thing? She’d never even seen it before… Something seemed off here. Ngh… Why was her chest feeling so tight all of a sudden? Frisk scrunched her face as she rubbed at her chest. Oh, it was hot against her palm. She could feel it through her sweater…

     “Is everything okay?” the flower asked innocently, a smile on his pale face.

     “Um… Yeah… I just… I guess it’s just indigestion. See, I had some spicy food a little bit ago.” Frisk managed a grin. “Haha…” 

     “Ah, I see.”

     Frisk winced as she felt that familiar tug at her chest. Her soul… It was definitely her soul. Ah… 

     Flowey tilted his head. “Say, have you met any strangers around here? Say… a little boy, perhaps? Maybe looks around your age?” 

     “I don’t know what you mean,” Frisk said. “I mean, I know lots of boys around my age that live in my village, as well as—” Frisk paused. 

     “Hmm?” 

     “Um, nothing.”

     “You sure? Because… there’s this one little boy that I’ve been looking for… He has big red eyes. Oh, and a pair of fangs too!”

     Frisk stared down at the flower in confusion. “You… You know someone like that?” Could he be referring to Chara?

     “Yeah… He’s an interesting fella, and one that doesn’t particularly like me very much.”

     “Why’s that?” Frisk asked with a suspicious tone.

     “Oh… You see…” The flower looked down. “I did something that I wasn’t supposed to do… and he’s really mad at me. So… maybe… you could help me find him?”

     Frisk opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again as she felt her soul jerk within her. 

     “Frisk?” Flowey was looking up at her with concern. “What’s the matter?”

     “Uh… Nothing… Just the indigestion…” Frisk rasped. “I… I’m sorry… I have to go.” Frisk turned around to leave… only to realize that she couldn’t. 

     “What’s the hurry?” the flower whispered. “Why, no one’s out lookin’ for ya or anything.”

     “Uh, I…” Frisk looked down. “Ah! What!?” Her eyes widened as she spotted something thick wrapped around her ankle. “What!? What is…!?” Wait... Was that…?     

     “You know…” 

     Frisk slowly turned herself around to face the flower, the plant’s head ducking low.

     “… You know,” the flower said again, “it was so easy…” The plant raised his head, a menacing shadow cast over his face, his beady eyes narrowed with a sickening grin. “That old woman… She was easy to get rid of…”

     Frisk stiffened as she felt the goosebumps rise upon her skin. 

     “Such a naïve old woman… but with such a sweet charm… and now I’ve got the girl with the same personality.”  


     Frisk screamed, her voice cut off moments later as a vine slapped over her mouth. Her hands were swiftly bound behind her back, both of her legs constricted as well. Frisk shook her head about, her heart thundering within her chest. She took in frantic, muffled breaths as the flower extended himself out of the ground and rose up to eye level with her, his disturbing grin sending a series of chills down her spine.

     “What a sweet, innocent face,” he whispered as he stroked over her cheek. “Such a beautiful specimen of life…”

     Frisk whimpered as she looked away from the plant. 

     “Hush now… Don’t be afraid… I won’t hurt you… There’s just… something that I want…”

     Frisk shrieked as she was suddenly yanked into a forced partial backbend. 

     “You foolish creature… You let your distasteful love for that demon worm its way into your soul… and now… it’s mine for the taking.”

 

     Frisk’s legs trembled as she felt a pair of cold and slimy tendrils sleek up her and around her bound limbs. They snaked their way over her rear and around her waist before slipping underneath her shirt and sweater. She sucked her belly in as she felt them stroke over her skin, a muffled cry slipping her sealed lips as she felt the vines coiled around her torso. 

     “Your skin is so soft and smooth…” the flower whispered. “You’re so tiny…” 

 

     Frisk watched with panicked eyes as the plant positioned his head just before her trembling belly. She whimpered as he licked his lips with his tongue. He looked so hungry… She cringed as she felt hot saliva seep down her middle and soak the waist of her jeans. The flower cackled quietly, his tongue teasing her with a slow and excruciating lick up the front of her lower half, his mouth slurping up the drool he’d discarded as he went.

     “Delicious vanilla…” he breathed in a lustrous tone. 

     Frisk screamed as she thrashed about in her bound state. 

     “Hopeless human… You made a huge mistake… coming out here all alone… and now…” Flowey’s head flew up to her ear. “No one can hear you,” he finished in a raspy whisper. 

     Frisk jolted as she felt the vine torturing her penetrate the very center of her gut. 

     “Now… let’s finish this…”

 

     Frisk shrieked and fearfully shook her head as both her sweater and shirt were suddenly torn in half, the entire upper half of her body, from her waist up, completely exposed. The cold rush of the frigid air slapped at her skin, the sensitive pain so strong it was agonizing! 

     Flowey gave a maniacal laugh as he commanded the vine around her torso to position itself directly at her heaving chest. Frisk squeezed her eyes shut as she braced herself for pain, her hips swaying in a frantic attempt to dislodge the vine still pierced into her middle.

     “Let. Her. GO.”

     Frisk’s eyes shot open, her head leaning back. 

     A small red sneaker was stepping out from within the darkness a ways from her, a pair of menacing crimson eyes flared with rage. “I’m warning you… You let her go right now,” the familiar voice growled. 

     “Oooooh, look at that! The little angel’s demon came to rescue her!” Flowey cried.   
Frisk gasped as a rush of wind whisked by, and then suddenly she was crashing to the ground on her spine with her head jerking about, her body freed from constriction.

…  
  
     Rage was boiling like hot water within Chara as he protectively stood over his angel, his lips curled to reveal his snarling fangs. Flowey, meanwhile, was glaring angrily approximately ten feet away, the flower growling like a vicious dog.

     “Frisk! Are you alright!?” Chara asked as he craned his head to look over his shoulder.

     Frisk was too stunned to respond, her hands clasped at her middle. 

     “FOOLISH DEMON, I HAD HER! SHE WAS MINE!” the flower screeched. 

     Chara’s eyes narrowed. “No one harms my angel… especially you.”

     Flowey threw his petaled head back and cackled. “Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!! Do you seriously think that she wants anything to do with you!? Do you really!?”

     Chara opened his mouth to retaliate, only to be interrupted by a low whimper from Frisk. He looked behind himself, a look of fear forming on his face as he quickly noticed the splotch of red beneath Frisk’s hands.

     “Hey! Demon boy!”

 

     Chara whipped his head back just in time to see the monstrous plant flying at him. The demon acted swiftly in snatching up his angel while dodging the frothing weed. Flowey plopped to the ground, his mouth gaping wide open with his teeth bared. Chara stood far from him, Frisk now grasped tightly within his arms. Chara turned and fled from the flower, the creature letting loose a ballistic screech of laughter. 

     Chara was an idiot… a real idiot. If he’d have just come clean with Frisk right then and there when she’d given him the chance… This… This was the biggest mistake he could make… and now she was going to pay the price for it if he didn’t do something, and fast.

     No… Nonononononono… This couldn’t be… This couldn’t be happening so soon… He’d worked so hard to make sure that this didn’t happen… Why? Why did she have to go out and find him? Why… God, that damn bastard was right. He should’ve resisted growing close to her, but he just couldn’t help himself. He just had to have her… If she died… Chara would never forgive himself for this…

…

     Frisk knew that she’d fucked up. She should’ve listened to Sans… She should’ve listened to Napstablook… 

     “Just relax, you’re gonna be fine,” Chara said. 

     Frisk softly cried to herself as she was laid down upon the soft bedding. This place… How did Chara come across a small, decent place like this?

     “God… Frisk…” Chara brushed back her sweaty, matted hair as he examined her wound. “Oh god…”

 

     Chara was disgusted by what that weed had done to her. It looked like someone had used an ice cream scooper to take a good chunk out of Frisk’s belly. She was barely holding on, and he knew that. Her skin was deathly pale, and she was sweating profusely. Her eyes were half-lidded and sunken in, the dark rings prominent beneath them. 

     “Just hang on, Frisk… You’re gonna be okay…” Chara pressed his forehead to hers. “You’re gonna be okay… Please… Please…” He squeezed his eyes shut. “Please… don’t do this… Please… don’t take her… Frisk…” Chara attempted to summon his magic so he could save her, but the unseen force trying to claim her life blocked his efforts. “No! Please… Don’t take her… Please… let her live… She has a chance! She goofed up, but it’s my fault! Please… don’t punish her… Don’t punish Sans, either… Don’t take her away…” Chara threw himself over Frisk, who was now falling asleep. Her body was so, so cold… “No! You can’t have her! Not this time! I won’t let you take her!” The demon trembled as he felt a towering, ghostly presence creep up behind him. “Please… Please don’t take her! She can live this time! I swear!” Chara looked up with pleading eyes. “Please don’t take her away! It’ll work this time! I swear! It’s different now! I understand now, what it means to care… truly care… about someone… Please don’t… I’d… I’d give my life for this girl… like I would have long before… like I feel that I should have… Give me a chance to prove myself… please…”

 

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     Frisk was floating in darkness. She had no idea where she was. She could hear voices, though. So many voices… She recognized them all, Sans’ being the one she tried to follow, but she couldn’t move. She was bound to one spot.

     Mmm? What was that? A light… A small light… What? It was drifting closer and closer to her… Frisk couldn’t get away from it… She… She felt so… light-headed… Her chest… It felt so cold all of a sudden… What was… happening? Was… Was she dying? Her chest… It was so cold… and felt so light… and her body was numb… Dear god… she was dying… No, she couldn’t. She couldn’t leave Sans behind… She had… She had so much ahead of her… She… She couldn’t…

_Frisk! Frisk, please wake up! Don’t go!_

     That voice… Chara!?

_Please! Wake up! I need you! Please! I can’t lose you! I can’t! Because… Because I love you!_

     Frisk’s eyes widened. Did Chara just say he… _loved her?_ No way…

 

     Frisk’s chest began to glow a bright red. The nerves of her body began to tingle. Her body felt so warm all of a sudden… Something was wrapped around her… She couldn’t see, but it was comforting… 

     Frisk! Please! Don’t go!

 

     Frisk’s vision was suddenly engulfed in white, the unseen force of heat abandoning her to the cold…

 

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     Frisk’s eyes fluttered open as she gave a harsh gasp. Ah… God… What… What was that bright light beaming down on her? She put a hand up to shield her eyes. 

     “Frisk!”

     She jolted as she felt a pair of cold, hard hands grab at her shoulders. 

     “Frisk!”

     The human gasped as she felt something heavy crash into her. 

     “Thank god you’re okay!” Staring down at her with a frantic expression was Chara, his large red eyes streaming with tears. 

     “Chara… Ugh… Ow, get off of me.” Frisk gently pushed him away as she sat up. “Ouch… Uh… Huh?”  


     Frisk hesitantly stroked a hand over her navel. Oh god, it was tender. What… What was this? Where did… Where did this bruise come from? What… What the hell was this? It looked to be… an oddly-shaped handprint of some kind, and it was right where she’d… Frisk went still as a statue, her blood running cold. 

     “Frisk… Frisk!” Chara clapped his hands to her shoulders and shook her. “Frisk! Are you okay!?”

     “That… flower…!” Frisk’s voice trailed off, her eyes now wandering to what was creeping up behind Chara.

     “Ah, I see you’re awake…” There was a tall, crooked figure extending a decrepit hand… and it matched the marking on Frisk’s stomach. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person. Sans isn’t going to be pleased that you almost got yourself killed, but I’m sure he’ll forgive you since he loves you dearly.”

     Frisk didn’t respond. She couldn’t.

     “Oh, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Wing Dings… However, I prefer to go by… ‘Gaster’ instead.”  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I get to this mysterious, lovable dork. Love this guy so much. Also, so super sorry this chapter is so long! Dx I wasn’t planning on it being that long… I’m so sorry! Also, I know that this was moving fast, but I needed to get something interesting out. I’m also sorry for it being so late. TT.TT  
> Thank you all so much for being patient with me. I’m trying to do better. ;____;
> 
>  
> 
> Interested in other stuff I do? Go check me out in these places:
> 
> HollowArtist001@DeviantART (Please go here for AO3 updates. I may not update it often, but this is where I post updates. So…)
> 
> FelineHollow@Twitter (my shit-post Twitter; I don’t really use this much anymore… : / But, sometimes I’ll go there if I’m bored…)
> 
> TheOfficialWai1@Twitter (my actual Twitter where I post art and stuff; I like it better than DA. I’m going to post more drawings here soon.)


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